


Polynucleosis

by ODeorainFan2150



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Battle Couple, Blackwatch, Colleagues to Lovers, F/M, Oasis (Overwatch), Pre-Fall of Overwatch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2019-12-30 01:03:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18305006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ODeorainFan2150/pseuds/ODeorainFan2150
Summary: It was supposed to be simple - hire an external contractor to assist Commander Gabriel Reyes with a private medical matter. How did he end up here, on the run, and with her the only one he could trust?A tale of Moira and Gabriel, charting their relationship as Overwatch begins to fall.(Marked explicit for later chapters)





	1. Threshold

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I've been wanting to tell for about four months since I first considered the pairing. 
> 
> I haven't finished it yet but I also want to get it out there. Updates will be infrequent (I've got several projects on the go) but I'm really excited about telling it.

The water ran between his fingers. He watched it fall, the droplets tumbling in the air before splashing back into the bath, the ripples emanating and then bouncing off his form. Focusing for a moment, his hand had suddenly turned into smoke, dissipating slightly as the water fell through the thick shadowy tendrils. He watched as it shifted, keeping the basic shape but constantly moving and curling in a non-existent breeze. With some effort, the smoke reformed, his hand whole again, solid.

He took another look around the room, drinking in the details as he’d been trained to do at Camp Lejeune so long ago it felt like a previous life. The cracked tiles, marks around the shower - everywhere in the hideout reeked of neglect, poor maintenance and a lack of oversight. He smiled to himself, the bitter smile of a man who has just found the irony in the situation, before relaxing back into the bath. He soaked in the water, feeling it’s warmth creeping through his aching bones and tired skin, and closed his eyes. 

The past few days, they had been a lot. The worst he had ever seen, each moment twisting and digging the rugged knife deeper and deeper. They had been lied to. Betrayed. Hunted. Branded as scapegoats. The true consequences of their actions obscured from them by parties unknown. And they had paid for it. In body, mind and spirit.

His thoughts were interrupted by a noise from inside the rest of the hideout, echoing off the blank walls and hard containers it was filled with. The sound of the front door opening and then closing quickly, the rustle of shopping bags placed on to the counter. The click of her boots on the linoleum floor as she walked, followed by her speaking out, an Irish accent lilting over the words

“Gabriel?”

Gabriel Reyes raised his voice, a slight raspy edge to it.

“Bathroom, just finishing up...”

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pulled the plug and watched as the water spiralled away. For a second he was entranced, watching the way it swirled, down and down and down until it disappeared down the drain with a howl. But then he recovered, stepping out on the cold tiled floor and reaching for the towel hanging just within reach. Pressing it’s starched surface to his skin, he dried himself quickly before donning his underwear and drowsily leaving the room.

She was waiting for him in the darkened bedroom, the blackout curtains drawn tightly closed despite it being the middle of the day. Her dark winter coat hung over the back of the chair, flecks of already melting snow decorating its surface while leaving her in her waistcoat and slacks. She was pulling the winter gloves that were encasing her long fingers off her hands as she watched him enter, her eyes following his form. 

The rest of the room was lined with hard cases and storage boxes, each containing everything from medical equipment to explosives, mostly labelled with Blackwatch insignia. Some even had their stash details on them with holographic numerals, yellow letters and numbers that showed their route to this place. Zurich, Munich, Vienna, Zagreb. 

But his eyes were used to their presence - they had been living amongst them for a week at least, ever since they had fled while the fire crews and rescue team sped the other way, trying to save what was left... Instead, he was watching her. 

She always walked upright, her back nearly ramrod straight, showing off her considerable height. She was long and sharp in every way, from her feet and fingers all the way up to her face. Most people only ever saw a scowl or a predatory smile decorating its features but his arrival brought something else. Concern.

She crossed the room in long strides standing over him, her mismatched eyes regarding him closely “How are you feeling today?”

He grunted, his voice sounding gruffer than before “Better. I was able to eat breakfast without it returning on me for once.”

A smile, surfaced at the corner of her thin lips, it’d have looked unsettling to most, but to Gabriel, it was just reassuring “That's good.”

Her smile. It tried to bring him warmth but his frown held it back, the ache in his stomach a weight on him. “But... I'm still hungry, like I haven’t eaten in days…. And _so tired_...”

He saw her face fall slightly, really only the corner of her mouth, she was too well practised at hiding her true feelings at dire situations.“I know, I'm… I’m working on it. Trying to find what exactly your resurrection did to you. What she…” she closed her eyes, fingers resting on the bridge of her nose as she let out a brief sigh.

Eventually, she looked at him again, her eyes now drinking him in, roaming up and down his body.

“Get into bed. Make yourself comfortable.” She commanded, turning away to finish undressing.

Without a word, he followed her instruction, pulling himself onto the only positive feature of this safehouse, letting him sink into the new mattress with the new clean bedding as the furniture creaked under his weight. As he sat there, feeling the softness of the fabric beneath him, he watched her move. 

There was an elegance to her motion, how she always managed to look so fluid while executing everyday tasks. The way she rolled her open waistcoat off her shoulder, the way she folded up her tie. The way that shirt hung on her thin form once it was finally untucked, the black cotton contrasting with her pale skin which was dotted with the occasional freckle. Even the sight of her underwear against her body or the way she looked at him as she crossed the floor, almost a predatory hunger residing under her professional manner. Reyes had known enough women across the world to last a lifetime but only one could entrance him so entirely like this, through sight and sound and smell and touch.

She climbed onto the bed, pulling herself behind him and cradling him in her lithe arms, his back resting against her chest. He let himself be pulled into her embrace by her long limbs, enjoying the feeling of warm flesh against his cold scarred skin. The sensation of life behind him, tall beautiful life, helped the tension just melt away under her fingertips.

After a while, he felt himself being pushed forward slightly, shifting his position to let her hands roam across his broad back. He could feel her nails tracing the litany of scars and wounds, the more curved movements where she found an old tattoo and followed it's outline. The anchor and globe, the barcode across his shoulder, each one felt her touch. He knew this behaviour - she’d done it since their first night together, a sure sign she was thinking about something. He wanted to smile, to say something, but even the idea felt tiring. He needed to sleep.

When she spoke she sounded concerned, almost hollow. “They want a demonstration. A test to see if you can do what we say you can.” Moira said, a statement of fact.

“When?”

“Tonight. Cleaning house. One of their teams failed an assignment and must be made an example of. And who better to do it than a shadow in the darkness.” Her fingers kept moving as she talked, dancing across his exposed back.

He sighed “This is what we do now is it? Murder for hire. Working for _Them_.”

There was silence as she paused, her hands holding still. They pushed in slightly harder, a jolt of pain as one of the long nails broke the skin.

“I know Gabriel, I know. But I can see your vitals every time you shift your body mass. If we don’t get Talon’s resources and facilities soon...” the thought hung in the air, both of them trying not to consider the alternatives.

Moira leaned down and kissed his cheek, causing him to smile weekly.

“We can worry about that later. Now get some sleep. You'll need your strength for tonight.”

He started to move, planning to let her out of the bed. She must be busy, plenty of tasks to complete before any mission. Back at Overwatch their quiet times together had always been limited, both always laden down with work and meetings, snatching time together whenever it could be found. But this time, she stopped him, a slim hand across his chest holding him tightly, her long nails lightly glancing across his body.

“Nice try but you're not getting rid of me that easily. I'm getting some rest as well. After all, who do you think is your support tonight?” she said, a smile dancing across her thin lips.

“I always did like having you in the field with me, getting those hands of yours dirty.” He cracked a smile as she rolled her eyes in mock disgust, letting himself fall back into her arms as sleep came upon him once more. 

As he drifted away, he could feel her hands softly stroking him, the whispered words as she quietly began to sing him to sleep. She explained it to him once, her habit of singing to herself - always a gentle song, a lullaby, but always sign of a mind in distress.

_Siúil, siúil, siúil a rún Siúil go sochair agus siúil go ciúin Siúil go doras agus éalaigh liom Is go dté tú mo mhúirnín slán_

\--

His sleeping brain drifted back. Back to before all of this mess had begun. Back to before he’d struggled to hold himself together. Back to when she had entered his life.

~

Gabriel Reyes watched the tall figure of the Doctor approach, his attention focused on the way she stormed down the courthouse steps as her heels dug into the thin layer of snow covering the marble steps, clearly agitated. One thin hand held her unlit cigarette to her lips, the other hunted deep in her pockets for a lighter. She scowled for a moment, her ginger brows knitting together as she continued to rummage. When she had rounded the corner, she came to a halt in front of him, giving him a better view. And for a brief moment, the noise of the traffic around them just seems to melt away.

Moira looked exactly like the picture in her file, even down to the expression of angry disinterest on her face. A long winter coat protected her against the wind, covering the tailored suit underneath while her fiery and well-combed sheen ginger hair dazzled her bony yet sharpishly alluring androgynous facial features. The more he looked though, the more Gabriel noticed the flaws in her clothing, the signs of wear and tear that hadn't been caught by someone with a lot on her mind. A loose stitch at the shoulder of her coat, one part of her collar slightly out of shape. Little things but emblematic of something far larger.

He smiled at her, adopting the classic look he usually brought out for this sort of operation - cool, calm, the type of person everyone wants to listen to. 

“Interesting performance in there Doctor O’Deorain.” he gestured a thumb towards the courthouse. “Though I’m not sure referring to your employer as ‘a bunch of close-minded simpletons’ will win you any favours in the future,” a grin crossed Gabriel’s rugged features “Especially if you wanted to get your job back.” He raised a short black object and with a crack, the plasma at one end ignited, blue energy jumping between the two terminals.

She leaned in, letting her cigarette catch, smoke beginning to spew from the lit end as Moira took a long look up at the metropolitan skyline surrounding them, the Winter breeze making her coat glide under her long legs. The drag she took was a long one, far longer than would have been pleasant unless she was aiming to swamp her system with nicotine. He noticed her fingers drumming on her slacks as she held her vision to the skies above, the rapid pattern rather unusual for a woman of her stature. He could have laughed at himself for trying to translate it from morse. Old habits die hard.

Finally pausing to take a break, she turned and looked down at him. With a shrug, she spoke, the Irish tang combing her words like a razor, but keeping her tone careful, wary, closely guarded.

“I was under oath. I simply told them the truth Mister….?”

“Reyes.” Gabriel answered, his response brisk.

She paused, recognition settling in. The cigarette smouldered in her elevated hand, the other holding her elbow steady as she regarded him, a slight smile appearing on her face.

“Ah, I see you’ve settled on giving your approach a more personal touch.” she raised a thin yet playful eyebrow “Bored of reading my rejection emails?”

He clicked the lighter shut before returning it to his pocket. For a moment, there was a pause, the two of them regarding each other, taking a measure of the other.

“Overwatch is still interested in hiring you Dr. O'Deorain. Even with your current… _predicament_ , we see plenty of opportunities thanks to your work.” He settled back against the wall, watching her for any reaction.

She laughed soon after. It was a short harsh bark of a laugh, the kind that states explicitly that this situation is not amusing in the slightest. It took her a moment for her to recover but then she met his gaze.

“Mr. Reyes, have you considered the reason I keep turning your wonderfully written emails down is that I have no desire to work with your organization? Especially if I'm forced to report to your golden girl.”

He paused, looking at her, that nickname said so derisively that it was obviously the sign of something more than just mild irritation.

“You have a problem with Doctor Ziegler?”

Moira was barely moving when she answered. There was no gentle humour in her tone this time, more faint annoyance, almost anger if her knitted brows were any evidence to go by. “The situation is more that she has a problem with me. In particular my methods.” Gabriel noted the corner of her lip twitch for a split second “Something she made perfectly clear when I offered my services in the past.”

He gave a short snort of laughter before responding, the sound causing Moira to frown at him.

“And here I was, thinking you seem to make friends so easily, Doc.”

Slowly he reached into his bag, pulling out an old fashioned manila folder. **CLASSIFIED** was stamped across it in bright red ink, immediately arresting to be looked at. With an eyebrow raised, Moira took it, letting the front cover swing open in the wind. He felt himself smile as he watched her begin reading the reports, her eyes dancing right to left with every paragraph the geneticist quickly yet analytically skimmed through. She ran a finger down the page, pointing out important information to herself.

“Would this help to change your opinion? Having a bit more info about what you'd be working on should make the decision easier I take it?” He asked, leaning back against the wall.

She breathed out slowly the small mist she created swirling in the cold New York air as she flicked through the documents, her eyes scanning down the collection of graphs and diagrams in front of her. She rested a long finger on one particular page, taping it once with a long purple nail, before speaking again.

“So this is why you need a genetics specialist I presume?” She asked, her eyes still starting around the file page.

He nodded “To begin with, yeah. Although we see potential other uses for your skills.”

Moira didn’t look up when she spoke, still flicking through the documents “How advanced is your condition? Have you started experiencing the tremors, shaking in your extremities soon after waking up?”

Reyes felt himself nod, the memories of his fingers tapping on the bedside table as he watched them, willing them to stop “I have. But I'm taking something for it.”

Moira took her time as she flicked through the rest of the folder obviously not satisfied with his response, her fingers following the charts. His eyes focused on her hands. They were long and thin and sharp, but also graceful, delicately lifting each page without even a lick of her finger. She didn’t talk until she’d reached the end, passing back the folder with a stern face.

“Stop. The medication, I mean. It will only interfere with the therapy I’ll be recommending once I run a few more tests on you.” she collectively concluded.

Reyes smiled at her reaction, watching as she looked back at him with a new expression. Before, Moira had viewed him with irritation, the return of a persistent annoyance. But now, curiosity decorated her face. He felt as if she was measuring him, those eyes calculating and thinking through ideas, solutions to the problem standing in front of her.

“I’ll take that as you accepting our offer?” He smiled, standing upright.

A grin appeared on her face as she spoke “For a chance to correct the bloody fiasco that was the Soldier Enhancement Project? And improve on it? I would be mad not to.”

There was a pause before she spoke again, her face now hardened. “But I will not be a subordinate to your precious Doctor. It would hamper my progress greatly, not a situation you need at this point with your condition.”

Reyes nodded back to her “Understood. We'll arrange a contract role, to begin with, reporting directly to myself in Special Projects. Maybe investigate expanding it if you wish to add other opportunities to your role in the future.”

She almost purred her response to him, stepping closer to him and pressing the folder against his jacket.

“Oh Mister Reyes, the wonders we will do together.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Dilara_CC for proof-reading and suggesting exactly what Moira is singing.


	2. Gala

These trips were never Gabriel’s sort of thing. Buddying up to world organisations was a vital part of his job as second-in-command sure but this was more Gerard’s, Jack’s or Angela’s scene. Ana usually agreed with him on the matter, maybe even with more hatred of the formality, but managed to make her own fun. She flirted endlessly with Reinhardt most of the time, curling him around her finger before they retired at the very end of the evening. In contrast, he would normally do what was expected of him before disappearing off to his room to get undoubtedly blackout drunk or to simply get away from whatever city they had found themselves in and prepare for the following day’s events.

However, no one had told Gabriel just how beautiful this city, Oasis, was in person.

Everything around him shined in the dark of the desert night. The event hall looked out over one of the garden spaces, palm trees and shrubs standing proud against the gleaming tan and gold of the surrounding buildings. Above him, spires of glass towered up into the sky, their lights at the very top glittering alongside the stars in the sky.

He took another deep breath, feeling the cool air fill his lungs and closed his eyes to let his mind settle to the new change of scenery. He’d walk in, do his speech and then leave. Maybe the Strike Commander would force him to meet a few people, shake some hands. But Jack also knew what he was like - that he’d be more useful spending his evening getting ready for tomorrow’s meetings with the various Ministries that made up the hierarchy of the city.

His thoughts were interrupted by the clicking of heels off to one side of him. Before he could turn, a single sentence seemed to cut through the cold air, it’s tone smooth.

“Enjoying the night are we, Commander?”

Reyes looked up as she approached. That slicked back red hair, those twinkling eyes that shone as she strode past the columns towards his waiting form near the entrance, the way her voice flowed into his ears like molten silver. He watched as she stepped in and out of the shadows, the dark night behind her lit by illuminating spotlights, their beams blazing up into the sky. The sounds of music drifted around them, but to him, it seemed to be from a long way in the distance.

He smiled “Ah, Doc, you made it. I was worried you wouldn't come.”

As she got closer, his eyes glanced down, finally catching what she was wearing. She was always a snappy dresser, carefully folded shirtsleeves under her lab coat as she’d work. Once they were finished, she would roll her cuffs down again, sliding her silver cufflinks into place and flashing that smile as she’d say “All done.” He’d seen her glide into her lab in the Blackwatch wing during the early hours of the morning, coffee in one hand, black woollen coat held over her shoulder with the other. In his mind, he could picture her apartment - modern, stylish, clean, it’s wardrobes filled with immaculate suits, waistcoats and shirts.

But tonight, she was a vision. She was wearing an elegant dress, it’s style very different from the cookie cutter gowns or the penguin suits the other guests had. It was almost retro - a loose collar around her neck held the material over her thin frame while a belt locked it into place around her waist. It seemed to float in the gentle breeze, giving her an otherworldly look. The more he stared, the more details he noticed on it; The fabric had a shimmering pattern that shifted as she walked, catching the light as she moved. Her ears sparkled, small and simple earrings shining in the darkness. One of her wrists had a bracelet on it, two golden snakes intertwined, their heads facing in the opposite direction. 

“Not what you were expecting Commander?” She smiled, obviously amused at his reaction.

Reyes nodded as he walked to meet her. “I’ve learned never to rely on exact expectations, O’Deorain. You seem to have a habit of surprising me. Although...” he answered, raising her hand to his lips to place a gentle kiss to her knuckles “I was sure you would stun.”

“Gentlemanly manners and a way with words.” She looked him in the eye, a sly grin on her face “Who are you and where is Commander Reyes?”

He could feel himself beginning to laugh, the sound tumbling out of his mouth. He managed to restrain himself before it turned into a belly laugh that could have rivalled that of a certain German Crusader.

“Oh no, it’s still me, Gabriel Reyes. You can tell by the fact I look like a coyote someone tried to cram into this damn suit,” he responded, a finger scratching at his collar.

She fluidly stepped forward, brushing his jacket with those long hands and reseating it on his shoulders. The smile on her face relaxed slightly as she began concentrating on what she was doing.

“Oh Commander, you sell yourself short. All you need is a little refinement.”

Her hand moved to his tie, gently straightening it. But she then paused, frowning, carefully looking at how it sat around his broad neck. Her voice had more of an edge as she critically glanced over him.

“On second thoughts, not quite. “

Instead, she started undoing the offending cloth object, pulling it cleanly away from his shirt before stuffing it into his pocket. 

“After some investigation, refinement doesn’t suit you.”

Deftly, she undid his top button, letting his collar open slightly and reveal the very top of his broad chest.

“Personality, _that_ I think is more suitable for you.”

Her task complete, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. But only for a moment. Instead, she looked him in the eye and voiced the thought that had, he guessed, had been running through her head since she had first been told to report to Oasis and to find her CO waiting for her up on the stairs to the gala.

“With all due respect Commander, why did you request me for this event? I thought my employment at Overwatch was supposed to be at arm's length, a contractor ready to be blamed when things went wrong. Definitely not something to be shown off in public.”

Gabriel looked up at her, amused at the concerned expression that had captured the doctor’s face “Firstly Doc, call me Gabriel or Gabe when we’re alone. It’s bad enough to have to hear ‘Commander’ all day without people in my free time shouting it as well.” 

He moved towards her, taking her hand in his.

“But you’re right.” Gabriel continued “The moment the truth of your employment comes out is the moment when I start looking for a new job. Lucky for me, however, this is a public event. One filled with all types of people from every conceivable field wanting to see what Overwatch has to offer. And if I have to suffer through it, I don't see why my date for the evening, famed geneticist Moira O'Deorain, shouldn't do the same.”

“I think notorious is more accurate,” she said acidly before suddenly freezing, her tone softening “wait, your date?”

“Well, can’t have you calling me Commander over the champagne, might give the game away. You could always just refer to yourself as my partner or guest. Either way, consider this an undercover mission, a test to see if you are ready for the field.” he smirked as he turned back to her, watching with a smile as her cheeks reddened. “Is that a blush, Doctor?” 

As the colour deepened across her pale skin, he began to look at her more closely. She was always handsome, always well dressed. Striking, that was the term he always found himself searching for. But here, surrounded by the darkness, her eyes twinkling in the light. That pale skin, the faintest sign of freckles. She really was beautiful.

Straightening his back, he offered her his arm. “Let’s get this done then. The sooner we show our faces, the sooner we can go somewhere else.”

Gracefully, Moira took it, her long arm winding its way under his. “Did you have somewhere in mind?”

Gabriel shrugged “Not in particular. I'm sure there are plenty of venues we could disappear to that no one would come looking for us in. Even the scientists here have to take an evening to unwind occasionally.” He looked up at her again, staring into those mismatched eyes. Blue and red burning back at him.

She seemed to stop for a moment, her mind working behind those eyes.

And then, rather unexpectedly, she leaned down, placing a kiss on his lips.

She tasted of mint. It was just a hint of it. A sharp tang that intensified as he started to kiss her back, the feeling of excitement from just this physical contact taking over the Blackwatch Commander’s senses. He felt his hands start to move, reaching out to pull her thin form against him. Her own had swept up to grip either side of his face, her fingers chill in the night air, contrasting harshly with his own skin. He could feel her pressing against his beard, her movements stroking the hairs, the sensation running through him.

And then, much too soon, it was over. They pulled away from each other as the sound of shoes on stonework echoed as they climbed the staircase. A harried-looking gentleman ran past them, barely even taking note of the pair as he flung the doors open. The sound of music increased for just a moment, covering Gabriel’s snort of relief.

As the door closed behind the gentleman, he looked back to her. “I… really wasn’t expecting that.”

“I thought you had learned to distrust your expectations when it comes to me.” Moira leaned closer and whispered into Gabriel’s ear. He couldn’t see the smile, but he could hear it in her voice. “Well, thanks to my reputation, I was offered some alternative accommodation from the standard rooms Overwatch had booked.”

He raised an eyebrow “Oh, what sort of accommodation would this be?” 

“The sort with an excellent view out over the Arabian desert, a collection of finely selected refreshments, comfortable seating and a very large bed. Would a nightcap of something under the stars interest you Commander?”

With a careful look over his shoulder, he smiled and moved closer, placing a kiss on her cheek, feeling the muscles in her face move as she smiled, “Come on, let’s get this done. I want to discuss this development with you once we're back in your room.”

\--- 

The gala was in full swing when the pair of them had entered the gargantuan room, the Doctor and the Commander stepping into the hall. One end was dominated by a giant glass window, giving the guests a view out over the rest of the city, a curve of the Euphrates filling most of the vista under a sky full of stars. The decorated floor, inlaid with golden geometric patterns, was filled with small groups of people, all deep in conversation. Even from here, Gabriel could easily spot the boy scout’s patch of blonde hair. Jack was doing as expected of him during these events; hard at work, surrounded by a crowd as usual. Another group was surrounding Angela, several Oasis ministers among them, their metallic headdresses and long flowing traditional neon robes in sharp contrast to gowns and tuxedos around them. Moira had also obviously spotted the Swiss doctor - Gabriel felt her hand tighten on his arm, those long nails pressing against the fabric of his jacket. With a smile, he tapped her hand to reassure her as they swept into the room.

Before they had gone far, a booming voice echoed towards them, the thick German accent surrounding the words as he called out to them.

“Ah, there you are Reyes! Ana and I were wondering if you’d tried to make one of your ghostly escapes!”

He turned to see the giant suited form of Reinhardt striding towards him while Captain Amari walking serenely beside him in a royal blue dress. Her eyes, eternally sharp, glanced quickly over him before coming to rest on Moira. There was a brief flash of recognition and surprise on her face at seeing the doctor here but Ana was a good enough actor to return to a gently amused look as they got closer. With a small smile on his own face, Gabriel greeted them.

“I can try all I want but if I leave before doing my speech than I’ll be leaving Jack even more time to bore all our possible recruits to death.” he finished with a casual shrug.

“Haha!” Reinhardt guffawed, causing a few other guests nearby to turn towards them, carrying questioning looks. His eyes seemed to light up as he finally focused on Moira, having to adjust his gaze having met someone almost as tall as him.

“And who is this wonderful lady you have beside you, Gabriel? Surely you haven’t been hiding this vision away from us, your friends!”

Gabriel watched as an amused expression crossed Moira’s face, extending one of her thin hands up to meet Reinhardt’s giant paw. She introduced herself, politely, succinctly, giving away little in her mannerisms.

“Doctor Moira O’Deorain. I’m Gabriel’s guest for the evening.”

“Ah Wunderbar!” The German leaned in closer, almost whispering to Moira, well, as much as Reinhardt could whisper in any given environment “Just be careful, the Commander has two left feet so you might have to lead him if you try your hand at dancing!”

Moira’s smile mischievously widened and Gabriel felt something in his chest tighten at that sight. The way it seemed to light up the whole of her sharp face brought a sensation to him. Pure joy.

“Oh don’t worry, I’ll make sure to keep Gabriel together.” She responded, her eyes flicking towards him.

Gabriel soon felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Ana was now standing beside him. Captain Amari was usually good at hiding her feelings to most people but Gabriel had worked with her long enough to read her like an open book. She had a familiar look on her face - one that was normally saved when there was important news to share that was unsuitable for present company. 

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to borrow Commander Reyes for a moment.” She looked up at Moira’s relaxed face, it’s smile having slipped for a moment “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to bring him back in one piece.” Ana finished rather too professionally, making her actual intentions rather clear.

The two of them walked away to a corner, far from any prying eyes. When Ana turned back to face him, Gabriel couldn’t see any sign of the joyful expression that had been on her face. Instead, there was anger.

“Gabriel, could you please explain to me why you are parading a person currently employed by Overwatch in a legally dubious role through a high profile public event?” she briefly looked over Moira’s tall figure who was still waiting in the crowd, giving the geneticist’s raised brow a reassuring smile she returned her own gaze back to him “Or has your annoyance with these galas reached the level where sabotage seems like a more sensible reaction?”

He raised his hands in a gesture of calm, trying to control the angry woman standing before him. He adopted a stoic tone, most often used when the Security Council would try to wrangle some more details out of him about a Blackwatch operation.

“Ana, please. Doctor Moira O’Deorain is an independent geneticist with no link to Overwatch. Oasis had already brought her to the city and it seemed rude not to invite such a notable figure to see what we as an organisation could provide to her.” Gabriel’s felt the smile on his grow slightly as Ana’s eyes narrowed, still unsatisfied with his answer.

“That’s all well and good,” she snapped “but how will you explain that to the security council when pictures appear of _your_ arm around _her_ waist!”

He shrugged “We met at the entrance to the event and had a wonderful evening. Sharing a love of fine whisky, we immediately hit it off. And later we shall retire together to taste a rather of nice vintage that she just so happened to bring with her.”

Ana fixed him with another disbelieving glare, one eyebrow raised. Gabriel started to think of something else to say until she breathed out a long sigh.

“Well as long as you don’t do anything stupid…” Ana pulled him in for a hug “I’m happy for you Gabriel. She seems... pleasant enough; Superior and always right according to her own opinion based on my limited interactions with her, but she seems to make you smile very easily!” 

The Commander raised an eyebrow “You realise she is just my guest for the evening, right Ana? It will be back to normal when we return to Geneva.”

Ana gave him a knowing yet pervading look before she continued.

“Sure Gabriel, sure. Just don’t do anything Reinhardt and myself wouldn’t do. And keep her away from Angela - I’m not sure either of us is dressed properly to break up that little shouting match.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened, however, he wasn’t looking at Ana anymore, a fact the woman had clearly realised before she followed his gaze. He had glanced back to where Moira was standing, still next to Reinhardt. However, a third had joined their little discussion. Even from here, he could make out the blonde hair and cobalt blue dress of Dr. Angela Ziegler. For a moment the two of them were just talking, their conversation seemingly civil. However, Gabriel could see Reinhardt’s eye jumping between them, his large frame almost backing away from the quiet fury the two women were sharing.

“Looks like it might be a little too late for that...” Gabriel sighed, turning to head back and separate the confrontation before it escalated.

He paced through the crowd, carefully pushing his way past the chatting groups. As he got closer, he started to hear the conversation between Moira and Angela. The two of them were still conversing amicably, but there were some edges to the words being used, barbs hidden behind softness.

“What are you doing here Dr O’Deorain? Last I heard you were still working in London after your dubious trial.” Angela was usually softly spoken, a very kind tone always apparent to her voice. But here she was stern, almost cold. She never took her eyes off Moira, as if she was expecting her to suddenly lunge out at her, or attack.

In contrast, Moira was relaxed, looking down at Angela with a slight look of amusement on her face, making one of her infamous smirks that made the laughter line along the right side of her face mildly apparent. “My dear Doctor Ziegler, The Ministers of Oasis _invited_ me to the city. _They_ at least show some interest in the benefits of my work.”

“I don’t mean _in_ Oasis, Doctor, and you know it. What are you doing at this gala?” She glared at the taller woman. “Surely you don’t intend to try and join Overwatch? Not after your previous misadventures.”

Gabriel saw the hint of a smile appear on her face, enveloping her previously teasing smirk. “Ah, don’t you worry Doctor Ziegler, I am no threat to your position. There is no risk to me applying to become one of your lackeys.” Moira mock pondered for a brief second “In fact, at this stage, I’m quite certain that’d be a step _down_ the ladder.” 

Moira turned her high gaze to Gabriel as he stepped closer, completely ignoring Angela’s shocked expression. “Ah! Gabriel, there you are!”

With Angela watching, Moira took the opportunity to take a step towards her broad partner. He felt her long hand reach the small of his back, before it slid around to rest gently on his waist, her fingers gripping him slightly and pulling him closer. “I was wondering when my host was going to return. And without a drink, well that will have to be resolved.” She waved to Dr Ziegler. “A pleasure to speak to you again Doctor, always a fan of your work.” Before Angela could further comment Moira glided away.

Guided by the hand at his waist, Gabriel turned and followed her, leaving the speechless and fuming Angela in their wake. Once they were out of earshot, he turned to her and growled.

“That was reckless Miss O’Deorain. Not very suitable for an undercover operation.” he scolded the woman.

Moira, however, smiled back at him. “It’s Doctor. And I must apologize for my actions Commander. But it was worth it for the expression on Doctor Ziegler’s face.”

For a moment his face was still. But then the edge of his lip turned up in a grim smile. “You really are without shame, aren’t you? Come on, let's find a drink before I have to go and play my part in tonight’s festivities.”

\--

Public speeches had always given Gabriel nightmares, even from being a little kid in high school. But this speech had become so routine to him by now that it simply rolled out of him at this point in his career as an official. Repeating the same points like “great opportunity” and “forefront of protecting the world” every few months had drilled them into his brain alongside him being involuntarily provided with a few pointers from Morrison in the past. 

He’d never liked this side of the job. Give him a muddy foxhole or a team briefing any day of the week. Anything was better than this, he thought as he looked out over the sea of formalwear arrayed in front of him.

However tonight, he had something to fix his attention on. As he droned his way through his lines, the notes in front of him more of a fallback than actual directions, he spent most of his time watching Moira in the crowd. She stood near the back but was easy to pick out, her red hair and height acting like a beacon amongst the other attendees. He could see her smiling at him as she watched, obviously enjoying the spectacle of him verbally flopping around like a fish on stage. Even when Gerard, always interested in new faces at events like this, had started talking to her she’d remained eyes forward, only occasionally turning to continue her conversation. Gabriel felt himself being to speed up slightly, rushing to get this over with so he could go back to keeping an eye on her.

It was strange to think about how things had progressed. From an external consultant, she’d soon become a fixture in the Blackwatch facility, a different presence to the other operatives. He liked seeing her come in, liked listening to the hammer of keys as she worked through her written tasks. The way she worked with him, the lingering touches after checking on him or drawn blood, the way she’d run a thumb across his brow after the first round of therapy had left him in the Blackwatch Infirmary, feverish and retching. For someone who seemed so stand-offish, she really could be very gentle when the situation required it.

And conversations. They could talk for hours, useful when he was in waiting to make sure he didn’t have a nasty reaction to something she was trying. He liked the rare occasions when he made her smile, telling her tales as she worked on something.

The scattered and polite clapping pulled him back to the present, realising he had somehow sleepwalked through to the end of his speech. Looking out over the crowd he nodded his head before turning and heading off stage. Jack was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, quickly moving to pull him into a handshake before patting him on the back. Under his breath, he talked into Gabriel’s ear. 

“Thanks for warming them up for me, buddy.”

Gabriel responded, a smile on his lips. “Couldn’t make it too easy for you now could I? If you wanted a hype man, you should have picked Reinhardt to deliver it this time.”

Jack chuckled. “Hey, before you leave tonight, grab a glass with me, okay? Just want to double check plans for tomorrow, make sure you’re good to go with talking to Ministers.”

“Of course, _Strike Commander_ ,” Gabriel responded, watching the slight look of annoyance hit Jack’s face for a moment before he headed up towards the podium.

As Gabriel moved through the crowd, his eyes were once again drawn to Moira’s face, always visible, a beacon to him. As he got closer, Gerard turned to face him. The Frenchman’s eyes were full of mischievous glee as he saw Gabriel approaching, a grin curving his moustache as he stretched out his arms in praise.

“Ah Gabriel, your speech was magnificent! It held my attention for a whole 30 extra seconds before a fly buzzed past me and I found a better use of my time.”

Reyes, unfazed gave out a lazy ‘right’ before properly speaking up “A reasonable response Gerard. Have you finished chatting up your new sources in the Oasis ministries yet?” Gabriel responded, easily slipping into the back and forth rapport he and Gerard shared. He played the stereotypical Frenchman in public but Gabriel would see behind the curtain. There was steel to the wit, a will that pushed him forward. The man was a social chameleon but with no qualms about what his work would end up doing once it passed over to Gabriel’s department.

Gerard sighed, almost flopping theatrically. “Alas no, I shall return to that _thankless_ task in but a moment. Alas no, I was just conversing with your guest for the evening here. Dr O’Deorain was telling me about her work. Fascinating what you can get up to when you start playing with the human biology, don’t you think so Gabriel? ”

Moira nodded to him “I’m glad to find someone so interested in it, Mr. LaCroix”

Gerard turned to back to her and bowed. “Please, my dear, call me Gerard. It was a pleasure, Mademoiselle. I will make sure to send the two of you tickets to my wife’s next production when it opens in Paris. Romeo and Juliet, always a treat. Just the thing for the pair of you to come and enjoy. Oh, and you must meet Amelie! I could see you two getting on famously once the wine started flowing!”

He turned and left, frantically chasing after an albino woman clad in white clothing, striding past with a cry of “Mademoiselle Herringbone! We need to talk about that dress my dear, it is incredible!” Left in the wreckage of his passing, Gabriel turned to a straight-faced Moira, seemingly unflustered by the human hurricane that had just passed.

Gabriel gestured to the wake. “Gerard LaCroix, our intelligence division commander. Clever as a whip and as much of a frog as they come.”

Moira took another sip of her wine. “I gathered. After all, during our discussion, he did comment on the brand of cologne you were wearing this evening. And asked if I’d noticed the dusting of lipstick on your cheek.”

Running a finger across his stubble, Gabriel smiled as he pulled it away and noticed a touch of red. He smiled. “Well, he is very good at his job.”

“I would hope so.” Moira moved closer “Speaking of jobs, I believe yours for the evening is concluded. Is it perhaps time to retire?”

Gabriel looked back at the stage, watching as Jack started to get himself ready to begin his speech. “Actually, let’s stick around. Just for this. After all, he sat through my fumbled attempts at inspirational speaking, only correct to return the favour.”

Moira said nothing, moving only her eyebrow at his actions.

“Well, I see no reason to rush away without you,” she said, delicately lifting a wine glass from a passing waiter before turning to face Gabriel. “Although I do think a seat is required. These shoes are killing me.”

Moving to one of the empty tables, Gabriel pulled out a chair for her. She smiled back at him, “So noble.” passing her lips before sitting her tall frame down. Reaching down she pulled the shoes off her feet, sighing slightly once they were free, her face showing some relief. He soon joined her, just in time for Morrison to stride up to the podium. 

As always, Jack seemed to grab everyone’s attention when speaking, easily able to hold it in place. He started off with the usual pleasantries, thanking Oasis for hosting them and commenting on the venue. But then his usual recruitment speech came in. Passion and hope - that was what he sold to future Overwatch agents.

Moira’s voice interrupted his thoughts, it’s tone pouring into his ear. “You and the Strike Commander seem very… chummy.”

Gabriel turned to look at her. “Chummy?” He questioned.

She looked at him, a strange look on her face. “Yes, Chummy. Friendly. I thought you would be mildly irritated by him.”

He turned to look at her. “Because he’s the Strike Commander and I’m not?” he scoffed “Putting some trust in the gossip you’ve heard within Blackwatch Doctor?” he responded with a wry smile.

Gabriel leant back, thinking back to the day they had officially formed Overwatch. The UN trying frantically to decide which of the commanders they had sat on the benches outside of the meeting room. Gabriel had known who they would pick. Despite her skill, Ana was the wrong nationality - it was sad but the Americans would refuse her appointment point blank. Jack was too much of the pretty boy to not be put in charge, good with politicians and crowds. He had the vibe designed for posters. But Morrison was too modest to expect it, thinking that Reyes’s greater military experience and skill would have more weight. Afterwards, the three of them had spent a few evenings together, Jack drinking far too much before trying to give Gabe his rank slides as Ana looked on disbelieving their behaviour. It had taken a while for Jack to get completely used to the concept of being in charge.

Reyes looked at Moira “The secret is, he hates it as much as I do. The problem though is he’s good at the whole inspiration thing.” Gabriel leaned back “Although it can be fun to occasionally remind him about it and watch him try to dig himself out of a guilt hole.”

Moira, however, continued “And the fact the two of you went through the same SEP process and he seems to have come out the other side… lacking in side effects? Does that not irk you?”

Again, Gabriel felt himself shrug “Luck of the draw I guess. I’m sure your investigation would bring up some secret hidden in our genetics. Maybe it was all that fresh air and corn-fed meat from a Midwest upbringing as opposed to exhaust smoke and gas station takeaway growing up in L.A. I made my peace with that.”

He looked at her again “Besides, if I hadn’t required aid, we wouldn’t be having this evening together would we?”

Her smile widened as she felt him lean over, his rough hand coming to rest on her thigh. As he ran a hand down her leg, feeling the silk of her dress he continued. “This evening, the only thing the irks me is how beautiful you look Doctor. And how badly this suit fits.”

Moira raised her eyebrow again. “Well that is quite the conundrum” she hissed as she felt his hand move up her leg, his rough skin still able to be felt through her dress. “Luckily I know of a solution…”

His motion was halted by the sudden interruption of clapping. Jack had finished his speech, waving to the crowd before making a swift exit. Around them, the crowd had started to turn, returning to their conversations, the hum of discussion starting to rise.

Gabriel quickly jumped to his feet before turning back to face the Doctor. “I think that’s our signal to leave.” He reached a hand out to her, which she took graciously. “Don’t you?”

\--

They were almost at the doors when a voice rang out after them.

“Sneaking off already?”

Gabriel halted, slowly turning to face the speaker as he strode towards him. His blond hair was tidily cut, within regulations. His blue eyes sparkled with amusement as he saw Gabriel’s body language, delighting slightly in his old buddy’s annoyance. However, he was looking slightly more relaxed than he had before his speech, his jacket undone and tie loosened.

“I did say to come grab a drink with me before you turn in. After all, I know you like to prepare for policy discussions the night before.” his eyes shifted to focus on Moira. “Unless you have other plans...”

Gabriel felt himself almost growl. He stopped when Moira graciously interceded. She took a long step forward, offering her slender hand to Jack. He took it in his larger hand, a slightly amused look on his face.

She started her introduction. “Doctor Moira O’Deorain. Commander Reyes invited me.”

“Strike Commander Jack Morrison, as I guess you already know” He leaned closer “Besides Doctor, you can drop the act; we both know why you are really here. Gabriel usually likes to have someone from Blackwatch at these events, backup always handy. And fortunately for you, neither Genji or Jesse are very suitable for a city full of scientists.” He let go of her hand, stepping back to rest against the nearby bar.

“Jack….” Gabriel growled once more.

Morrison smiled and gestured to the bartender, three whiskeys on the rocks sliding down the wooden bar top to meet them.

“As I said, just a drink!”

He turned to them, raising his glass, waiting for them to raise their own.

“To partners, no matter where we find them.” 

There was a pause before they each drank their beverage, each looking to the others to gauge the mood. Jack finished first, placing his glass back close to the bartender before turning to face the pair.

“I won’t hold you for much longer Gabe. I just wanted to remind you about your obligations tomorrow. But first,” He looked Moira up and down, “Is this a San Diego or Cheyenne situation?”

Gabriel answered almost instantly, his face comically wooden “San Diego. Very definitely, San Diego.”

A smile returned to Jack’s face “Well then. I’ll send the two of you on your way. Jumping off time with the Ministry is supposed to be 1100 but I’m sure urgent business could call Overwatch’s military commander away until…” he took a glance at his steel watch “ _After_ lunch. No later than 1230 though - don’t want to look too unprofessional”

This brought a smile to Gabriel’s face “I agree with you on that, Strike Commander Morrison”

Jack nodded “Dismissed, Commander Reyes. Doctor O’Deorain, I assume you’ll make sure he gets back to a bed safely? Maybe you need to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t stay up all night.”

“Of course Mr. Morrison.” Moira smiled and nodded back to him.

Jack clapped his hands together, bringing their talk to a close. “Good. Now I’m going to go and make sure Torbjorn isn’t causing too much of an issue for our hosts. You know how much of a handful he can be when talking technology after a beer or two. So I wish you both, good night.” the blond parted with a nod, going off on a wild goose chase for the Swedish dwarf.

\--

The shining lobby was empty as the pair of them strolled through it, heading for lift. Moira's heels clicked over the stonework, only pausing as they stood facing the lift door. Gabriel didn’t speak, focusing instead on the excitement slowly building.

Moira broke the silence. “San Diego or Cheyenne?”

Gabriel smiled to himself “I wondered how far we would get before you asked about that.”

She wasn’t put off, her voice sounding more like she was beginning an investigation. “I’m guessing it’s a coded phrase. Something you and him worked out over your time serving together, I presume? A signal to request a rescue from an inconvenient partner.”

He looked back at her. “Yeah, something like that. Let's put it this way - if I said Cheyenne, he’d currently be looking for a fire alarm to pull.”

Moira laughed, her voice ringing out. The sound seemed to echo around them as they waited, starling the Omnic receptionist having behind the desk. Gabriel laughed as Moira stiffened at the movement out of the corner of her eye. When she looked back to Gabriel, she stepped closer.

“So I guess San Diego means you were planning something for tonight?” she whispered, that sly smile returning to her face.

He put a hand around her waist, pulling her closer. “I don't like to presume. After all, some of that depends on how you are feeling. It does take two...”

“Well, “ Moira leaned in. “I feel like I want to get to know you better Mr Reyes.”

The lift chimed and the doors opened up to them, revealing the sand coloured wall and mirrored panels. For a moment they stood next to each other, Moira pressing the button for her floor before waiting for the door to close. With a thud the entrance locked together, putting them alone, hidden away inside the metal box as it began to lift.

In a moment the two were wrapped in each other's arms, each pulling the other closer. He felt her thin hand start to run its fingers through his short hair as their lips met again, that same tang of mint returning. She was a literal breath of fresh air and he couldn’t help but fold into the passion of the moment. Their surroundings dropped away, leaving just him and her. One of his hands started to lift her dress up, enjoying the feel of her skin, his fingers touching the edge of her underwear.

“Gabriel, ohhhh, yesss...” Moira moaned as he lay gentle kisses down her neck, her other hand holding him tightly around the head while the other came to rest upon his backside. She squeezed, hard, and Gabriel couldn’t help but groan at the sensation.

“You like that.” She whispered to him, her eyes meeting his as she looked down. “Interesting.”

There was a chime and suddenly the lift was slowing as it reached the restaurant level. Part of him wanted to continue their dance, continue their embrace, damn the consequence. But he felt her stopping slowing just as he began to move away. Separate once more, they both got to work tidying themselves up, Moira smoothing her dress and coughing before standing fully upright while Gabriel shifted his jacket and wiped his cheeks. They returned to their original stance, trying to pretend that nothing untoward had occurred. Even so, Gabriel could feel her eyes wandering over him, her breathing slowly returning to normal.

The doors opened to reveal an elderly lady, her robes flowing behind her, a headscarf wrapped over most of her snow-white hair. She hobbled into the lift, nodding to the pair of them politely before her gnarled hand reached up to tap the floor beneath the one Moira had chosen. She stepped back to the centre of the lift, barely moving as the doors closed.

As the two of them stood behind the elderly intruder, Gabriel could feel his annoyance rising just as the lift rose through the floors. It had been a long time since anyone had made him feel like this. He felt like a teenager again, frantically rushing to get back to her room.

And then he felt something else. A thin hand, resting upon his rear, long fingers slowly walking their way across the texture of his trousers. They came to a halt when one cheek had filled its palm. Moira squeezed again, the pressure on him harder this time. His body moved of its own accord

The lady in front of him turned slightly, catching Gabriel out of the corner of her eye. He coughed “Sorry, I… stone in my shoe.” He fumbled, point down to the floor ineffectively.

The old lady smiled back at him kindly, turning back to face the door with a muttered "عشق جوان" under her breath. When the lift reached its destination, she didn’t waste a moment to step forward, leaving Moira and Gabriel standing next to each other.

Gabriel breathed a small sigh of relief as the doors closed again, slowly climbing up the final floor. He turned to Moira. “Doctor O’Deorain, you are going to lead me down a dangerous road aren’t you?”

She grabbed him by his collar, bringing him closer to her as she smiled leaning in for another kiss. “By the hand, Commander. I'll be just in front of you every step of the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Dilara_CC for proof-reading and letting me use their OC for some flavour.


	3. Encounters

“And here we are.”

With a clap of Moira’s hands, the chandelier above Gabriel came to life, it’s bulbs seeming to almost hover in place over the intricately decorated golden arms beneath. The light it cast was soft, slowly increasing in intensity as Moira strode ahead of him, her shoes clicking over what sounded like a stone floor. Kicking off them off, she disappeared into a small side room, the sound of running water starting after she entered.

Gabriel whistled through his teeth as he strolled in. “So this is what being courted by Oasis gets you?” 

His eyes swept the room, catching sight of all the various features. Everywhere that wasn’t gold or stonework was fabric, long drapes that stretched up to the ceiling and fluttered in the cool breeze. A divider, covered in geometric patterns, separated the living area from the bedroom, while ahead of him was a door to the outside. Alongside the traditional, there was the modern. A small bar, ideal for entertaining, was stacked full of expensive looking bottles and glasses, all emblazoned with the Oasis symbol. One column nearby was wrapped in scrolling text, an endless feed of news and updates hovering inches from the surface. Holographic technology was nothing new but projected at this scale? It, just like the rest of the room, screamed expense.

He leant back. “I’m in the wrong line of work.”

The harsh bark of Moira’s laugh came from the small bathroom, her voice echoing through the half-open door before she re-emerged, rubbing a soft towel over her long hands. “They have been trying to lure me here since I first published my work, and every year they get more and more extravagant with their gestures. Maybe I should take them up on their offer one of these days just so they will stop it with the flowers…” She gestured to the lilies sat on the coffee table.

 

“Dr Moira O’Deorain - Minister of Genetics.” Gabriel looked at her, raising a thoughtful brow “Has a nice ring to it.”

Moira pretended to think, one slender hand coming to rest under her chin. “Maybe one day. It has its attraction - incredible facilities, minimal oversight and a real influence on the world stage. But it lacks a certain something to really push my work forward.” She looked him up and down before turning back to the mini-bar, her hands reaching for the bottle of amber liquid in the expensive looking box. He noticed it still had a tag around the neck of the bottle, yet more golden writing.

Gabriel rested his back on the wall behind him, feeling a chill against its cold surface. “Or do you mean someone?”

Again, that thin face cracked with a smug smile “I felt like I made that insinuation obvious, Mr Reyes”

Now it was Gabriel’s turn to smirk, “Oh, I was just making sure, _Moira_.”

He walked past her, enjoying how she gently exhaled at the sound of him saying her name, before heading to a large sofa that dominated the living area. With a sigh, he settled down onto it, kicking off his shoes before lying to the side flat on his back, his hands resting on his chest. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of sinking into soft fabric beneath him.

“I thought SEP was supposed to give you incredible stamina, Gabriel. But you look like you’re exhausted after a mere speech and some small talk.”

Her voice, slightly mocking in her usual way, echoed out above him. Opening his eyes, a glass filled with the amber liquid hovered briefly above him before he heard it being placed down gently on the table beside him.

He growled a response. “SEP’s gifts, if you want to call them that, don't stop you wanting some peace and quiet.”

Gabe had heard the padding of her feet on the floor, felt her circle around him and then she returned to his field of view. She was laying on the backboard above him, looking down at him as she draped herself over a cushion, resting that beautiful face on her interlocked hands. She grinned down at him.

“And I thought I was the anti-social one…”

She stared at him for a moment, her eyes suddenly serious.

“You should be careful. Exhaustion was a side effect of some of the earlier therapy elements, and it would be irresponsible to ignore a possible recurrence.”

He watched her continue to talk, her eyes roaming over him checking for other symptoms they had seen during the early stage. But then he interrupted her.

“Moira. I’m fine. Your treatment has been without issues for weeks. I just need some time to relax and recharge, that’s all”

She looked like she was about to say something else but instead, she paused. Instead, she gently smiled down at him

“Well, in that case, you should join me on the balcony, Mr Reyes. We wouldn't want you falling asleep just yet.” With one hand, she leaned down to stroke his face, feeling his stubble beneath her fingers. “Besides, you haven't seen the second best feature of this room”

He stayed there on the sofa until he felt her hand leave his face. After swinging himself upright, he struggled to take his eyes off Moira. He watched her walk onto the balcony, his eyes drawn to the way her hips interacted with the curve of her dress. He watched the way she carried her whisky glass, subtle elegance to the simple things as always. Finally, he watched how she looked back at him, the flash in her eyes as she dared him to follow.

But before that, Gabriel got himself ready. He pulled off his jacket, neatly folding and placing it down on the sofa next to him; it’s dark colour offset against the white material below it. He rolled up his shirt sleeves, revealing his tanned, muscular forearms before kicking off his shoes. The stonework under his feet felt strangely warm, very different from the chill he was expecting. With his socks softly padding against the floor, he collected his glass and followed her out into the night.

\---

If he had thought Oasis was beautiful from the ground, it was nothing compared to the view up here. All around him was the shimmering spires that had filled the background before, their glass construction shining in the darkness. Below, green stretched out between the buildings, small dots of light showing people enjoying the night air. He could smell the fresh water of the Euphrates as slowly wound its way through the city. 

But more arresting was the view out, past the bright shining light. The desert stretched for miles and miles, almost entirely dark except for tiny pinpricks of light zooming across the surface or sitting out among the hills in the distance. And above, the stars shone. Oasis was very keen to show it’s advancements in every way - they had managed to reduce light pollution to basically zero, letting the heavens illuminate the earth.

As he stepped closer, Moira raised her glass, her face behind it lit with happiness.

“To relaxing and recharging.”

He grinned at her, the piercing note of their glasses touching echoing into the night. He took a drink from his glass, feeling the liquid slide down his throat with ease, the smoky taste filling his mouth. It was a good whisky. Very good and very expensive.

For a moment Moira was quiet, her eyes looking out into the night

“You know, the more I see of Oasis, the more their offer seems more attractive. I think I could find myself here, one day,” she stated, a matter of fact.

He looked at her, a small grin on his face “I never took you for a sentimental type Moira, being taken in by the beauty of this place. I always assumed logic and fact dominated that brain of yours.”

She laughed again. He noticed she’d done that a lot this evening, more than just her usual sly smile.

“Maybe it’s just this place. I feel… whole? Like a puzzle piece had finally slotted into its respective place. It’s somewhere I would **want** to live rather than being forced to stay. You’ll laugh, but it reminds me a little of Ireland.” Gabriel noted the way her voice had started to turn sombre for a brief second, her normal tone carrying a heavy Irish tilt “Being back on the edge of the town, knowing the hive of activity was just a few steps away but right now, everything is quiet and peaceful.” She turned to him, placing her glass on the table next to her.

“Or maybe it’s just the company. Commander...I mean, Gabriel.“ 

Her other hand came up to the railing and she leant on it. “It’s been a long time since I’ve met anyone who's made me feel as… comfortable as I do with you. Even if I know it would be unprofessional to act on my feelings.”

She ran a hand through her slicked back hair before she spoke again “I’m sure you’ll be shocked for me to say this but I don’t make personal connections very easily. People seem to be scared away by my looks or my manners or how driven I can be with my ideals. But with you, it’s different. It has been rather contrasting since our first meeting on those courthouse steps back in New York.”

He noticed her shiver slightly, the chill of the cold desert air working its way through the thin material of her dress. Without thinking, Reyes stepped forward, pulling her slender body against his own. She quietly moaned at his touch, her eyes closing as he placed his lips on her exposed shoulder, the corners of her mouth curving up at his touch as a whispered “ _Dhia,_ ” came from within.

Holding her close, he finally said out loud what had been running around his head since he’d told her to come to Oasis. “Your drive is _why_ I like you. And feeling comfortable?” he tsked. “Moira, you’re the first person I’ve met in a long time who hasn’t been starstruck the first time they heard my damn name. Jack might enjoy the fame, but I just did what I had to do. And then kept doing it because, after a while, it was all I knew what to do, all I was built to do. But with you…”

With a gentle touch, he pushed her back against the outside wall of the balcony before leaning up and kissing her gently on the lips. But then he stopped, their current spot coming up into his mind.

“Before we go any further, we should head inside,” Gabriel said, looking up at her.

Moira raised an eyebrow “Why so Commander? Afraid we might get some unexpected spectators from our rather revealing position?”

He smiled. “Oh no Doctor, I’d bend you over that railing and take you for all you’re worth in a heartbeat,” He moved closer to her, watching as she shivered at the idea he had just proposed “I just didn’t realise the balcony was unheated and my feet are _fucking_ freezing.”

She laughed again, her hand coming to rest on his cheek “Well if you put it that way, how could we not go inside? I’m sure we can think of a few ways to recover you from your brisk state Gabriel .”

\----

Taking his hand, she led him back through the room, turning off to pass under the arch. With the other, she moved a drape to one side, revealing the four poster bed that filled the bedroom. It was a massive, more than a king size, with several layers of canopy above it. The end of the mattress had a pile of pillows on it while the duvet, white with gold thread throughout, looked soft. It screamed of opulence for opulence’s sake.

Gabriel paused. “Wow, that’s…huh...”

“It’s a little extravagant, isn’t it?” Moira wrapped her hand around the bed pole, her fingers running across the design engraved into its wooden surface. “On the other hand, it’s rather pleasant to find a hotel with a bed that actually accommodates my physical features.”After removing her jewellery and placing it on the sideboard, she looked over her shoulder to him. Her heterochromatic eyes glinted with mischievous thoughts as she glanced towards her back, the hint of a smile creasing her face. “Now, could you put those hands of yours to work?”

Stepping up behind her, Reyes ran his hands up her sides, feeling her ribs mildly bumping against his hands through the material of her dress. Again she reacted to his touches, rolling her head slightly, her mouth opening just slightly with a soundless exhale of bliss.

“Focus, Commander,” she said, trying to sound stern despite her feelings being on full display. Smiling, he reached up to find her zipper. Slowly, he began to run it downwards, watching as her back was slowly exposed. Her pale skin was dotted with freckles, almost a constellation across it. He laid a gentle kiss between her shoulder blades, watching as her arms twitched at his touch. As the zip went lower, his lips followed, a trail of kisses running down her back.

“Hmmm, I definitely could get used to this...” she purred, her eyes closed.Once the zipper was all the way down, Moira simply let it fall around her legs before stepping out of it. She’d gone without a bra this evening, her small chest not needing it, but her underwear was black and slightly lacey, offering a glimpse at her skin underneath. Her hands drifted towards them, clutching the elastic waistband as she looked back at him. Everything slowed for Gabriel. All he could is watch her, the way she stood almost entirely exposed, her eyes daring him to come to her. But then she walked away to climb onto the bed, settling herself back on the pillows and watching him, cordially resting her chin on one hand.

With a smile, he started to remove his own clothes, slowly, making it a show. First went his shirt, every button undone carefully to stretch the experience out for Moira, still reclining on the bed, her sharp eyes delighting in every pop of fabric. He slid his arms out of the sleeves, flashing his bare chest with his movement before flinging the white cotton away. Next was the belt, his fist pulling it through the loops before throwing it on top of his discarded shirt. For a moment he paused, moving slightly to give Moira a better view. And then he leaned forward and in one swift motion pulled his trousers down, revealing his muscular thighs and legs. Her reaction, just a simple movement out of the corner of his eye, made him smile as he pulled his socks off, his toes balling up on the rug, finally feeling it's texture under his feet.

Now in only his underwear, he brought himself back up to a standing position. Looking towards the bed, he smiled as he noticed Moira almost biting her hand in excitement. It was strange seeing her like this, emotions on full display rather than held behind her usual reserved exterior, but Gabriel couldn’t help but find in it himself to welcome the rare sight..

“Come now Doc, surely it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” He drawled at her, turning slightly to gaze at her, his chiselled body now on full display. 

This just made her more exasperated, one hand digging into the pillow next to her “Yes, but before you didn’t tease me like this. Get over here so I can give you a proper inspection.” she responded, a slight tone of annoyance entering her voice. Bowing his head at her command, he joined her on the bed. Slowly, he crawled forward on his hands and knees over the silk sheets, watching as she leant back as while Reyes stalked towards her like a predator thinking it had finally cornered its prey after a long and hard hunt. He paused when he was in front of her, looking down at her naked body beneath him. When he met her eyes again, she smiled back at him. Carefully, she reached out her hands and cradled his face, her long fingers running through the stubble on his cheeks that were as dark as his skin. There was a strange warmth to her hands, a relief from the cool night’s air.

“There, that's better...” She purred before looking deep into his eyes. “Now where were we?”

Without a word, he leaned forward and kissed her. It felt like a jolt of electricity running through him as his lips touched hers, and he felt himself leaning further into her. Her arms slid off his face and onto his back, pulling him closer, enclosing the soldier unto herself. This seemed to last for an age, his brain thinking about nothing but her and the feel of the material beneath them.With a sudden motion, the world seemed to flip. His vision filled with light, the rich, golden ceiling coming into view. He felt his back hit the bed, the silken covers a gentle touch against his rough and scarred skin. And then her face re-appeared. She was looking down at him, that red and blue dots of her irises burning in his vision.

She smiled "Not a position I expected to see you in Commander. _Below me."_

"Well now,” he shrugged with a smirk. “I _do_ try to be the gentleman in all things, Moira. You should know that." he countered, bringing his hands up to rest on her behind and moving her closer. 

Above him, Moira snorted at him "In all things? That’s rich coming from someone in Blackwatch.” She shuffled closer, lowering herself down to him. “Oh the things I’ve heard...” she ran a nail over some of the old pink scars on his back, feeling the shallow bullet wounds and scratches like a scalpel as she continued upwards the line of his spine, her hand coming to a rest on the back of his neck.“What if, just for tonight; I don't _want_ you to be a gentleman in all things?" Now her mouth was right next to his ear, her breath a tickle on his skin. "Take control of the situation..." her tone turned husky for just a second"...Commander”

Reyes moved slowly, his thumbs catching on Moira’s underwear and starting to pull. His fingers then ran down her thighs, feeling the smoothness of her legs as he kept his advance, knowing one final impediment was in his path before she was clear.Above him, Moira was biting her lip, closing her eyes as he worked his hands down her legs. “Hmmmm, it’s been a long time…” She moaned, lifting her knees as he threaded her underwear down her legs. Before the Geneticist could speak again, Reyes leaned up and kissed her. Once, twice, three times. Each kiss was long, forcing him to breathe through his nose as if he’d dived into a pool of shining water. Having removed her panties, his hand returned upwards, glancing over her slit, a thick finger running along it as she keened at the touch.

He jumped as he suddenly felt a hand on his own underwear, a slight amount of pressure pushing down on his core. It moved up, the feeling of material pushing against him as Moira’s hand started moving under him. Thin fingers starting to push. "I thought I was supposed to be taking charge of the situation?" Gabriel responded, raising an eyebrow to Moira.

Her other hand came to run down his cheek "You were, and you were doing such a satisfactory job." Moira glanced back at him, that frustrating grin back on her face "But I think we need to up the tempo a little bit. After all, you're keeping the lady waiting."

“Lady?” he laughed, stopping only when Moira’s hand pulled his boxers down rather suddenly and without precision. In return Reyes’ hands squeezed onto her back as she gripped to him tightly, the sheer joy making himself close his eyes. Her movements did the job, and soon he felt himself growing in her hand, each stroke pushing him closer and closer. He could feel himself melting in her grip and so was quite clearly surprised when motions came to a halt.

Looking up to see if this was another teasing strategy on Moira’s behalf, Reyes instead saw Moira leaning across to the bedside table, a hand reaching into the drawer. After a moment, she pulled back, clutching a rather bland grey coloured stim injector in her hand. Resting back onto her knees she tilted her head, raising the applicator up.

“Just have to take care of my own safety Gabriel” She looked down at him “I may have access to your medical history, but who knows what else you get up to when no one’s watching.” She removed the lid off the base of the device, revealing the flat injector muzzle. “Luckily, I have a little genetic assistance I cooked up.”

Another thick trademark eyebrow from the man rose at her notion. “Are you always this prepared when you go on business trips?” He asked, watching as she jammed the needle into her neck, hearing the slight hiss of the device.

“Only when I’m invited by someone,” Moira said through gritted teeth, shaking her head as she placed the spent injector back into the drawer. She smiled as she leaned down to kiss him again.

“Now, where were we?” she asked, her lips finally separating from his. 

He looked at her, sitting on top of him as she rocked back to rest on his stomach. His eyes followed her thin frame, watching the way the light danced off her pale skin, the way her hair glowed in the light like it was aflame. His hand travelled up her stomach, feeling the layer of muscle on her frame, passing her chest (and eliciting a sigh from her as he glanced off a nipple) before coming to a halt, framing her face.

“You're beautiful Moira,” he said, a hand running down her cheek, gently coming to rest at her chin. He watched as she smiled at his words, leaning into his touches, her eyes closing for a moment.

Suddenly, he felt her hand run over his broad chest, her fingers highlighting the scars that covered it before running over the contours of his pectorals. She continued her touches down his arm, feeling the muscles shift beneath her fingertips.

She grinned at him. “You aren't so bad yourself Mr Reyes. Although it's so different to have you like this rather than being a patient”. Her hand ran down his cheek, feeling the beard beneath her fingers. “Much more time to soak in the details.”

Gabriel just smiled at her. 

“I think I need to get you ready,” he answered, a slight tone of mischief entering his voice. 

Before she could react, he leaned forward, strong arms diving under her thighs and pulling her up to straddle his face. He heard a yelp of surprise from her, the clacking of her nails as she roughly gripped the headboard for support reaching to his ears. And then without warning his tongue up her slit, slowly, rhythmically feeling her react as he delved deeply, making sure to rub some of his facial hair against her sensitive portions.

“Gabriel…this is… _hng_...unexpected...” her voice hitched as he ran his tongue over her with more vigilance, feeling her move and twist above him. Moira’s moans had sounded different than before, to the point that it made the old soldier pause just for a moment.Reyes felt her thin hands gently pressing onto his head, her fingers scratching his scalp, pulling herself closer. “That didn't mean you should stop,” she whispered breathlessly, a stern edge sneaking into her voice.Reyes smiled, humming slightly as he delved deeper feeling Moira’s hands tighten again, her sharp fingers now digging in. His world had become her, dominated by the pale skin in front of his eyes, the voice like honey from above.He felt her lips touch his ear, felt her weight shift slightly forwards. “That's enough of a starter Commander, I'm really here for the main course. She kissed the side of his face. 

“I want you inside me Gabriel...” Moira hissed, sounding too cliche to her own liking. Gabriel heard her shuffle backwards slightly before a warmth enveloped his tip, the initial sensation feeling like a touch in the pit of his stomach. Carefully, he moved his hands downwards to rest on her lower back.

“Hmmmm, I've been looking forward to this.” He said, unable to keep excitement out of his voice.

Gabriel watched for her nod. But it never came. Instead, she lowered herself, moving as far as she dared before rising back up. Gabriel felt his hips try to follow, to keep the sensation going but he fought to hold back his urges. Moira lowered herself again, much further this time before retreating

“Ohhhhhh….” she hissed, her eyes closed in ecstasy. She worked her hands up his chest as she moved, eventually settling in a pose that let Moira move as she wanted. For a while, Reyes let her take control, her sinuous movement above a joy to watch. Shortly after she looked down at him again for a moment, meeting Reyes’ eyes, as she coyly smiled.Feeling her nails starting to dig into his shoulders, Gabriel decided to shift control and take the lead. Being below required more effort to keep the movement going but it wasn’t a struggle for his strength. Carefully he rebuilt the rhythm, his actions lifting up her and down as she held on tight. The tingle in his shoulders changed to something more active, marks beginning to form.He shifted, pulling his strong arms to wrap them around her much smaller and thinner shoulders, pulling her tighter. The change in angle affected his movements and Moira reacted, a moan squeezing out of her thin lips. His hand climbed further, fingers running through her short hair as she rested her head onto his shoulder.The sound of their moment had filled the room by then, the moans and groans of the pair moving with each other rhythmically. It was like a dance between the pair of them, their movements matching, their actions coalescing into one constant chain of sensations one after another.

“I'm close...” she whispered, her own hands now running through his close-cropped hair. “I’m so close Gabriel, please...”

Gabriel tried hard to respond but his brain felt like it was shutting down with each passing second whenever he thrust into her, just focusing on the sensation in his hands, his shoulders and his groin. He could feel his rhythm starting to slip so he pushed hard, going deeper, feeling her as she groaned her way through the reaction he was giving her. Then; her fingers dug into his scalp like a pair of knives and he cried out,

“ _Chingado_ , Moira...”

Those words were like a trigger. He pushed up into her as a counter and held firm, feeling himself finish, feeling the warmth spreading out of him. The trigger tumbled down and Moira seemed to shudder, gripping him tightly, her hands clenching around him. Her arms pulled him so tight and for just that moment, his entire world seemed to be the woman on top of him, feeling her chin come to rest on his neck, feeling her ride out the aftershocks as she became still after a short while. With a long, slow breath he rolled her to one side, letting her come to rest on the bed beneath them. Carefully, he ran a hand along her body, letting her know he was still there, right beside her. Her eyes closed in delight, she smiled at his touch.

\--

They lay there, quiet for a moment, coming down from the exertion while the endorphins hammered through their systems. The cool breeze was a relief to their burning skin, the only movement in the room the hanging cloth and the rise and fall of their chests as they breathed their way through the afterglow.

Moira moved first. With a long arm, she leant across to the bedside table, opening the drawer and pulling out a packet of cigarettes. A second grasp into the interior found a lighter, a slim black model that he could have sworn he lost a few weeks back. She took a stick of tobacco between her teeth, her lips holding it in place.

Without a word, Gabriel felt himself pull a cigarette from the packet offered to him. He'd stopped a while back, back when the tremors had first started. He hadn't known the cause, only that it was worth cutting back all the likely suspects as a precaution. But he’d missed it. Even just putting the unlit cigarette into his mouth, that first taste, feeling it mingle with the taste of her lips...

His thoughts were interrupted by the click of a plasma lighter and then she muttered something, her teeth set around the stick between them.

“What was this Gabriel?”

She turned to him, the sight of her contrasting eyes not covered by a few ginger strands dangling over her face digging into his soul.

“What are we?”

Reyes didn’t respond. He honest to God didn’t know how to respond. He knew what he wanted, he could guess what she did. But the words wouldn’t line up.

Instead, he focused on the cigarette lighter, his thumb running over the familiar cracks and creases in the casing. “This seems familiar,” he muttered with a smile “What else of mine have you borrowed?”

Her tone was tenser this time “Gabriel I’m serious. What are we going to do about this? Whatever _this_ is.”

Lighting the cigarette he took a long drag, feeling the old sensations come back. That same taste, not pleasant but familiar instead as he felt the nicotine mildly scorch his lungs, his body already being used to the old sensation didn’t even let out a cough at it..He turned back to her, the soft click of him closing the lid echoing around the room. “What do you want this to be? Ignore whatever limits your mind is putting in place and tell me what you want us to be.”

Carefully, she took the cigarette from his hand and, along with her own, put them out on the ashtray. Then she turned back to him, snuggling closer in the bed. Resetting her head on the pillow, her eyes staring into his, she was still for a moment. And then she reached out to him, one hand resting on his face, the other taking his hand and clenching it tightly. She smiled as he reacted.

“I want this to be a partnership. Of equals. Being with you, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt.” She clenched tighter “I want to keep this going, as more than just Commander and contracted help.”

He kissed her hand. “I’m happy you feel that way, Moira. I want you. I want to keep this going as well.” he paused “Although it can’t be entirely equal - you will still have to call me Commander in public”

She smiled, some of the old confidence returning “Just in public?” She asked, the words dripping with a return to her usual confident tone.

They stared at each other for what felt like eternity, both running their eyes over each others features, feeling the warmth that sharing a bed brought spreading through them, her forehead touching his. And then Moira spoke again.

“Well seeing as I have you naked in a less clinical setting, there is something I've wanted to do since the first examination we had together.”

Gabriel felt her move, the pressure against him lifting. He felt her start to push him down the bed before she sat behind him and dragged him into an upright position. He felt her fingers start to roam across his back.“Although I have never done the work to myself, I'm always interested to see how we shape our bodies, how we decorate them.” She started, those sharp pricks of her fingernail pressing against his skin. “And you have decorated yourself spectacularly Commander.” A finger glanced over a scar. “Even if sometimes it was not intentional.

”Gabriel raised his eyebrow, turning slightly to keep an eye on her. “Is art critic among your skills Doctor?”

She laughed. It sounded like a peel of bells and he couldn’t help but smile with her, even as she pressed him forward. He felt a pressure on his left shoulder blade, the feel of her fingernail pressing against him hard.“Anchor and Globe, as I’d expect from a former US Marine,” she said first, her tone concentrating on her work

“That’s from Camp Pendleton, just after finishing boot camp” He answered. “Besides Doctor, no such thing as a former Marine. After all, Once a Marine..”

The pressure moved, slightly erratically as she laughed, her hand shifting downwards. “Stylised skull with wings, Recon Marine emblazoned underneath. Force Recon?”

He nodded in confirmation. “Camp Lejeune with the rest of my class at the end of that course.” A memory brought a chuckle from him. “Caught an infection and it bled for a week afterwards.”

Reyes didn’t need to turn to see how she’d scrunched up her face, he could sense it in the slight disgust coming off her like a wave. “Charming.” she muttered, “But I guess a learning experience, hmm?”

He shrugged. “Yes. Never get a tattoo from a guy with a half-empty bottle of Jack on his workbench.” This comment brought another laugh from her.

She moved again, shifting her body, her hands coming to rest on his shoulder.

“Ah, now this is something I recognise. Medical identification barcode. US Government layout so I guess a little reminder of SEP.” There was a pause as he felt her fingers tap along it. “Twenty… four?” She guessed.

“Are you honestly reading that barcode manually?” he asked, turning his head to look her in the eye, one brow raised.

“Quiet,” she chided him, “there are skills you learn during long nights in the lab. And it’s better than learning places of PI for no reason other than to show off at parties.”

Finally, there was one last movement from her, coming to rest on his lower back

“Maravilla.” the word seemed to dance around her lips.

“Home...” he paused “...Well, what used to be home. The first wave of Omnics to hit L.A. wiped out anything I would recognise. Family got out but apart from that…” He trailed off.

She was quiet “Did you ever go back? After SEP I mean.”

Despite himself, Gabriel could suddenly feel a wave of sadness sweep through him. He moved back into her touches, the connection easing his feelings.

“No. But I will, one day. See what they did to the place. Papa always said he wanted to finish up there. Ashes scattered over the backyard, a bottle of Corona to prepare the ground.”

He stared in front of him, the gold and stone surroundings such a contrast to the memories of growing up that swept through him. “I know what you’re thinking. But he loved that place. BBQ every weekend with the rest of the street, lawn always spotless and neatly cut. Man was a taskmaster with the three of us but we all knew why he was doing it.”

Moira’s face suddenly appeared on his shoulder, her sharp features visible out of the corner of his eye “I think it’s wonderful to have that family connection. Mine is much more… fraught.”

Her hand gripped his chin and pulled it around so he was once again looking directly at her. Her eyes glistened in the room’s light.

“But that is a story for another time. For now… Commander… I’d like to put that stamina of yours to the test.” He felt her other hand sneak it’s way down his chest, coming to rest around his rapidly thickening member. She stroked once, twice, staring into his eyes as she dared him to react.

“Of course, Doctor. Anything to help your investigations” He moved into the kiss, feeling her face crease into another beautiful smile before they became one again.

\---

Strangely, Gabriel woke naturally for the first time in years. No alarm hammering in his head, no hand shaking him awake. For the first time in a long time, he hadn’t woken up to Jessie looking down at him, a slight look of worry across his face as happened anytime he overslept.

He turned over to the woman beside him. The sunlight was illuminating Moira’s face, the sharp contours softened slightly by its glow. Her hair was no longer the expertly coiffured creation it had been last night. It stood out at strange angles, the red a contrast to the white pillow behind her. He watched her as she slept, her breathing lifting her shoulder up and down rhythmically. 

Running a hand over her cheek, he smiled as she shifted slightly in her sleep. Last night had been extraordinary. They had, eventually, ended up on the balcony as he’d promised, his hands on her waist, her’s on the railing. The shower to warm up afterwards had taken longer than expected, the height difference causing some issues before they’d settled into a rhythm. They had collapsed back into bed just as the sun began to rise, both of them exhausted but happy.

There was a polite knock on the door, seeming deafening in the quiet room. Gabriel watched as Moira stirred slightly in her sleep, the noise creeping its way into her unconscious mind. The second knock had him moving, grabbing his pants from the floor, hopping into them as he looked for his shirt. A third knock and he just grabbed his jacket, doing the buttons up as he made his way to the door.

A glimpse through the peephole showed him the concierge from the reception downstairs. He seemed a little nervous, a small cart beside him. He smiled as Gabriel opened the door to him.

“Ah Mr Reyes, _ṣabāḥul kẖayr_. Apologies for the interruption, but I was instructed to bring your bags up to this room by Mr. Morrison. He informed me of your change in accommodation earlier this morning and I thought you might need them to prepare for the day.” 

“Err, thanks?” Gabriel sputtered.

The Concierge smiled again as he stepped to one side to pick up the luggage from the trolley next to him. The Commander could do nothing as the smaller man walked past him into the room, carefully place the bags down quietly before turning back to him. Gabriel could feel his mother’s words reminding him of his manners and he frantically started tapping his waistline, feeling for his wallet.

“Do not worry about that sir.” The Concierge smiled “I would be very concerned if your money was somehow inside your undergarments. Now, is there anything else I can do for either you or Miss O’Deorain....”

There was a shout from the other side of the divider, the slightly annoyed tone coming through her accent.

“ _Doctor_ O’Deorain, please.”

Gabriel couldn’t help but smile at that. The Concierge looked like he’d been slapped, horrified at his own rudeness. He coughed to bring himself back into alignment before restarting his question

“Apologies again. Is there anything else I can do for either you or _Doctor_ O’Deorain this morning?” 

Gabriel was about to speak, to dismiss the man away but he was interrupted by Moira’s arrival. She grabbed his attention, pulling it away to bring the focus onto her. Sauntering towards the pair of them, she was only partially dressed, having recovered her underwear and thrown on a shirt to preserve some of her modesty. Once she was next to him, one of her thin hands placed itself on Gabriel’s dark shoulder, the other reaching out with a small number of credits in her hand. She looked the Concierge directly in the eye, her rather monotone but orderly voice returning. 

"Coffee, orange juice, full English for the two of us and a well-cooked stack of pancakes to share." He felt her hand dig into his shoulder, and it took all his effort to prevent himself from leaning into it. Moira added another thought to her instructions. "...also _do_ take your time."

The Concierge smiled at her, graciously taking her tip before bowing in front of them. “Of course. Doctor, Sir.” Carefully, he shuffled out of the room, closing the door with a soft thump.

Gabriel swung around to face her, finally spotting what she was wearing. He slid his hands underneath it, running them up her side before coming to a halt on her back.

“Hmm this seems familiar,” he said, breathing in the combined smell of the two of them that had caught on it. “I’m seeing a trend here. You seem to like collecting my belongings...”

“Maybe I just like keeping you close” she whispered, leaning down to lay another gentle kiss on his lips. He kissed her back, their movements volleying back and forth as his hands drifted lower.

He chuckled “You’re going to get me into trouble aren’t you?”

She tilted her head in response. “Maybe later. You have some time before your meetings, I think Jack wanted to make sure you were up with plenty of time to relax.” Her hand walked down his shoulder, slowly pushing the jacket he was wearing off his frame. He let it fall, enjoying the way her fingers slid down his exposed skin.

“You know,” he said “You did ask them to take their time. Did you have something you wanted to do beforehand?”

“Maybe. Just a little exertion to build up the appetite.” She leaned forward, her lips glancing off his ear. “Why not kill two birds with one stone? The shower seemed an ideal size for the pair of us to clean up together, hmm?”

Reyes looked at her. He looked at the way light shined off her skin, the way those eyes seemed to look into him. He looked at how she stood, the confidence she held.

“I think that’s a grand idea, Doctor O’Deorain” He responded, his heart lifting at the smile it brought to her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Dilara_CC for proof-reading and helping to make Oasis at night sound magical.


	4. Field Testing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this took me a while...

The building was quiet, clothed partially in the darkness of the twilight, the last gasp of the setting sun hanging low over the Adriatic Sea painting the decrepit stone walls a crimson red. As his trained eyes scanned the compound, Commander Reyes focused on the tactical features; entry points, cover, concealment and blindspots in the security just waiting to be taken advantage of. He had to admit, the owner had done an excellent job on securing the place. High walls, security cameras sweeping the gate; even the garage outside had a retina scan pad next to the door, showing the layers of security just waiting for anyone attempting to sneak in. The arrangement was perfect for the clientele of a place like this - someone with sensitive work not wanting to be disturbed.

The great expanse of glass covering the building, however, made it easy to surveil the interior from his position on the cliffs above. Inside, the decor was modern, stylish, revealing. It also seemed cold and clinical, surfaces mostly clear of the usual comforts of home except for the occasional discarded item. Paperwork and glasses on the countertops looked out of place, almost as if they were intruding on some perfect design, a touch of life among a model house. Perhaps the thing that was most out of place was the small hutch sat on one of the tables, a pair of white rabbits carefully sniffing the air with the array of odours presented to them.

His eyes finally caught sight of the only resident as she moved past a window. Her red hair was a flash against the white stone, a contrast that grabbed his attention like the glint of the wrong end of a scope. He watched as she strode down one of the corridors connecting the annexe to the main rooms, a cup of tea held delicately in one hand while she swiped through a datapad resting in the other. Even from his vantage point, he could see her shirt fluttering as she walked, her pale skin shining in the illumination from above. Despite the fact he knew she hadn’t left the house, she was still wearing an immaculate pair of suit trousers - always formal, even when on a break. After a moment, the woman disappeared into the main room of the house and out of his view, the lights behind her turning off automatically.

Gabriel, his eyes still facing towards the building, carefully lifted his gloved hand and pointed forward, two fingers extended with the rest wrapped tightly against his palm. Without waiting for a response, he started shuffling forward through the undergrowth, pushing the dry, sun-parched bushes aside. Finally breaking cover, he entered into the glow of the dying light and swiftly made his way down the grass slope, his boots digging into the sandy earth and dry grass as he ran. Without stopping, he crossed the cracked road while keeping low, using the bins to propel him onto the roof of the outbuilding. Transitioning into a roll across the roof’s metal surface, Gabriel carefully let himself drop over the other side, falling into a crouch as rubber boots absorbed the impact as he landed on the warm tarmac, causing the thing to almost _dent_ under his weight.

Quickly;, as if arriving in this manner was the most natural thing in the world;, he straightened up and calmly walked up to the entrance, facing the entranceway before tapping the buzzer. After a few moments, the polished wooden door swung open, and he had to calm his breathing as his eyes matched the blue and red of Doctor Moira O'Deorain. For a moment, she fixed him with an irritated expression, annoyed at the unwelcome intrusion. But then she relaxed, the hint of a smile appearing at the corners of her perfectly sculpted mouth.

“Ah, Gabriel.” She paused, her eyes running up and down his form as she took in his appearance, obviously noting the small things that told where he had been. “Now this is a surprise. I did wonder who would be interrupting me at this hour and here you are, a whole day earlier than expected.”

She leaned forward, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, almost draping her tall form over him as she pulled him into her much slender embrace. Gabriel felt her cheek resting on his beard, those long fingers starting to rub into his short hair. But then she stopped. After a moment, she sniffed.

“Your odor reeks of burnt magnesium, _mo stór_.” Moira said as she pulled back. Her face was sterner now, the only sign of slight mirth that single raised eyebrow she liked to use to disarm him. “I’m beginning to think your early arrival may be related to your other... _endeavours_ you had planned in this part of the world. Am I correct?”

“Perceptive as always Doctor,” Gabriel let a slight smirk creep on his face, stretching the wider portions of his stubble as he chose his words carefully, watching Moira for any reaction. “There was a complication. One that will need someone with medical training to uncomplicate.”

Her eyebrow didn’t move as she stepped back away from him, one hand shifting to her hip as the other rested on the wooden door frame, reminding Reyes once again how tall Moira was compared to his much more stalwart, military build. “Let me guess. Did the Cowboy manage to scrape his arm? Or did one of Dr Ziegler’s prosthetics fail and you need someone to tend to your toy shinobi?”

Reyes smiled slightly at her joke, chuckling as he checked around him. “Ah, I see your break hasn’t dulled your dislike for the pair of them. But Moira, can I explain inside? Only, I’ve been trekking through the mountains for the last few hours and I’d prefer a chance to sit down before we need to get to work.” He patted his arms slightly, the dust drifting off his uniform to illustrate his point along with a few grey pebbles of rock that had managed to get stuck between the wrinkles of his hoodie.

With a nod of her head, Moira's tall slender frame stepped aside as she extended a hand inwards, inviting Reyes to cross the threshold. “Don’t forget to wipe your feet. Wouldn't want you the owner to come back to find military-grade boot prints all over their nice pristine floors.” He could see her face crease into a small smile while she closed the door, having heard his boots tapping the rug - just as he did back in Geneva, always moments after closing the door to her small flat. Without a word, she swiftly turned on her heel and walked away towards the rest of the house, her shoes clicking along the wooden floor.

Gabriel followed her, his own rubber soles padding along at a quieter level until they reached the kitchen. As he entered into the modern room he had observed before, Moira was just closing the shining metal fridge before sliding a bottle of water across the table to him. The mirrored back panel above the heating elements let him see himself for the first time since that morning - black body armour and dark clothing, all covered in dust, such a contrast against the marble surfaces and elegant surroundings. 

Moira’s eyes met his shortly after he caught the water, her arms folding as she leant back against the stone counter. “Now, what could possibly require you to interrupt my sabbatical with your requests for medical attention? Surely you have other curative personnel inside Blackwatch more suited for fieldwork.” She paused, before her expression changed to a slightly mocking grin. “Or have you just been missing me so terribly?”

For a moment, he let that question wander around his mind. Her departure had left a little lost in the dark hours of the night, only work being able to keep his thoughts away from wandering back to her. Maybe he had wanted this, to be reunited, the two ideas that filled his head and directed his being united in one go. Or perhaps it was luck or fate or something else that required this change in his plan.

He fixed her with a gaze as he lowered the plastic bottle away. “I need you to keep someone alive while Genji does an unpleasant task on them. And despite me hiring them, most doctors that go through the Overwatch recruitment process have a certain heightened sense of morals when it comes to this sort of thing.” He paused. “You were also, the closest. I could contact the team in Rome but I’d prefer to keep this quiet - get this problem solved tonight and our prize on Gerard’s desk by the morning.”

“A lucky coincidence then.” Moira stepped forward as she buttoned her shirt back up, an unconscious sign of shifting in work mode, sliding her mouth to the side as she thought. “Hmm, I could hook them up to a nanobiotics loop, Overwatch medical kits have a system for rapid administration to reluctant patients, an unusual addition as I have noted in the past.” She paused for a moment, her hand reaching her mouth and tapping on her lips, those long nails almost bouncing from the thin line of red. “But this seems like the ideal time to test what I’ve been working on during my little break away from Geneva.”

Gabriel stopped, the bottle halfway back to his mouth. “What you’ve been working on?” he asked, his eyes staring at her. “I thought this was supposed to be a time to relax.”

Moira crossed to him, her hands held together in front of her. “Well, academic papers can only hold your attention for so long. And you know what they say, idle hands are the devil’s playthings.” She smiled. “I decided to dabble a little bit, broaden my horizons away from just pure genetics into more active applications. Some of my interactions with Dr Ziegler, seeing her work up close, has set my mind thinking on improvements to her system of little friends.”

Gabriel leant his elbow on the kitchen island. “That sounds like jealousy talking Doctor”. For a moment, he watched her stare back at him, that thin face returning to entirely neutral as she regarded him closely. For a moment, he considered that he may have touched a nerve, pushed their usual back and forth a step too far. He was keenly aware how quickly her sharp tongue could return back into it’s more aggressive mode, a sure sign of her returning to the defensive as the fire inside her reignited. 

But then she smiled, her wide grin revealing her teeth.“Perhaps. But it has opened up some very interesting possibilities.” Gracefully, she walked away, pausing at the door to enjoy her own dramatics before beckoning him forward. “Maybe it’s easier to show you.”

Intrigued, he found himself following her, walking through the house. Even though he knew she had rented this place, the artwork and decorations looked like something she might have chosen for their shared apartment back in Geneva. He had never really focused on decorating his own place, seeing as he barely spent any time there, but he had to admit her additions did definitely make the flat seem more like a home whenever he managed to get back to it.

Moira stopped when she entered into a large circular room at the centre of the house, the blinds closed against the darkening sea outside. With a click, the strip lighting above, arranged as if an orrery, came to life. It filled the room with its cold white light illuminating what, to Gabriel, looked like a lounge room. However, far from being a room to relax in, this had become a place of work. All the soft furnishings had been moved to one side leaving a wide-open space in the middle of the floor. Replacing them, there were several hard cases lying flat on the stone, each open and filled with scientific equipment. Above them, several easy assemble surfaces were covered in apparatuses that bubbled away, robotic arms carefully controlling their rotations to maintain precise temperatures and motions. Similar mechanical systems were working hard across the bench from them, in the midst of printing out circuitry and other pieces of material. It was all moving as if synchronized, some invisible conductor just out of sight controlling this orchestra of science.

However, as impressive as this makeshift lab was, it was the centre of the room that drew Gabriel's eye. Stood there was a mannequin, it’s surface segmented from where it had been folded away for transport before being unpacked into its current splendour. The artificial figure’s frame was unique, thin and tall, an almost perfect match for the doctor and her androgynous physique that had lead him here, that sat in his mind far more than she should. He could sense her, the real her, standing behind him, letting him step closer to inspect it further.

On its shoulders, the straps wrapping around its arms and covered with tubing, sat what looked like some form of backpack. It stretched from a plate behind the head down the length of it’s back, a container hanging low filled with a grey lifeless liquid. It was also unfinished, exposed wires and rubber pipes with obvious marks where it had been bonded together. But the bare metal caught the light, a slight tinge of red dancing across its surface. Gabriel stepped closer, looking at the contraption with an intrigued look on his face. “Moira what have you been...”

Her tone was precise, like a teacher explaining the specifics to a student that had only just grasped the basic overview of a topic. “It’s a portable mass medical system. Designed to allow a single medical professional to provide assistance to an entire team.” Moira gently ran a finger across down one of the pieces of tubing, feeling it flex beneath her attention. “Far more suitable for Blackwatch’s needs than a pair of wings and a _stick_ , don’t you think?”

Gabriel paced around it, his fingers coming to rest on the plastic tank mounted low down on the back of the frame. The grey liquid inside gently moved when he tapped the plastic exterior. “This is the... The…” he clicked his fingers trying to remember the words he’d spotted amongst the stream of reports that came across his desk, a handwritten note in Moira’s spidery writing stuck to the front. “The biotics you were talking about before you left?”

Moira smiled, giving the teacher’ish expression again as if Reyes finally remembered a previous class’s subject. “Precisely, storing energy in a liquid form before using them to power a modified version of Dr. Ziegler’s creations.”

“And the source for this energy? Power cells?” He responded, his fingers still working their way over the mixture of metal and wires as he watched her, searching for some recognisable battery pack or power port among the elements.

A harsh bark was his answer, the amusement adding to the purr when she answered. “Power cells require charging, Commander. And this is designed for your covert operators to use. Why not use a much more plentiful energy source, while at the same time reducing the number of obstacles to the mission?” Moira’s smile widened, appearing perfectly proud of her hypothesis.

He could feel himself blink as the realisation hit home. “The enemy. You’re basically talking about draining the literal ‘energy’ out of our opponents to heal our own.” Reyes commented, comical quotation marks in the shape of his fingers accompanying his words.

She mimed a clap, that eyebrow raised again in mirth. “Very good Commander. Breaking down the biological cells is like splitting the atom - they are bursting with possibilities, just tightly packed away. Far better to release it, use that for a purpose than simply letting it to rot away in your usual manner after a careful application of lead, hm?”

Gabriel chuckled. “I think you’ve been listening to the rumour that you’re a vampire too much. This seems, well, overly dramatic.”

“Says the man who likes dressing in black and dragging people into the shadows.” Moira returned back, the two of them easily fitting back into the gentle rhythm their conversations always ended up in. Her answer made Gabriel’s face twitch slightly, his mouth slowly turning into a smile instead of a scrutinizing frown. He let her get away with far too much - if someone like Jesse had given him that comment he’d surely be taking the rest of the day cleaning the Mess Hall. 

Moira breezed past him, undoing some of the restraints holding her creation into place on the frame before turning to face him. “Would you mind helping me into this?” She lifted the straps while Gabriel moved over to her, all the while continuing to speak to him. “The prototype is far too bulky for my taste. I can already see the potential of shifting some of the elements to an underlayer for easier wear.” She winced as he helped her, one shifted it into position. “Hmm, it's still digging in the shoulders slightly. I'll need to add that to the list of adjustments to make.”

Her movement of pain caused Gabriel to stop, a sudden realisation sinking in. He looked at her, his eyes watching her struggle. “Is this system safe Moira?” He asked, his hands taking some of the weight as she moved it into a more comfortable position, his words taking their time to work through her focused mind. 

When they finally did, Moira turned to him, a cold look in her eye. “Really Gabriel. Is progress ever safe? Do we gain anything by avoiding all risk?” She tutted in an almost patronizing way. “You of all people should know this.”

At her words, he couldn’t help but feel a flash of anger run through him. Gabriel frowned, gritting his teeth to hold back a sterner retort. “I’m still suffering thanks to someone’s view of ‘acceptable risk’. Besides, you know what I mean _Doc_ , so stop treating me how you handle those you consider unworthy of your time.” For a moment, there was a silence between them, Gabriel glowering at the stern face in front of him, his hand resting on hers.

It took a second before Moira's face finally reacted, the flash of annoyance replaced with a much more careful look. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she shuffled her shoulders, finally seating the contraption on her back correctly, before turning to face Gabriel. “Of course, _Commander_. I have run the required checks, an emergency cut off is in place to deneuter the nanobots if needed and I’ve insulated the device against my own nervous system. I will be fine Gabriel.” She paused. “Naturally, if something did go wrong, I’m sure you’ll be ready to valiantly leap into action just in case? Make sure the grim reaper doesn’t take me quite yet?”

Gabriel nodded, returning to his work with no further complaints. He knew she would have taken precautions, he had spent far too long with her to know she was never without a way of escaping the danger. The two of them worked quietly, breaking the silence only to check on the process. Gabriel watched her as he threaded the gloves over her hands, staring as she flexed those long, slender fingers while they settled into place, the emitters sitting in the palm of her hand while the long injectors on her fingertips danced through the air. Finally, she stood proudly, her posture straightening as the pack on her back began to move slightly, slowly unfolding and adjusting its panels to match her frame and improve her comfort. His eyes watched as the tubes slowly filled with the biotic fluid, the dull lifeless material spreading throughout the system, cooling down from its gaseous form to it's more conductive liquid version. Moira quickly thumbs the operating trigger, causing a spray of inert particles to eject into the air with a low hiss before motioning with her hand to draw them back in. With a satisfied nod, she turned back to the Commander.

“Now, let's go look at your little problem. I presume that is them in the garage?” Moira's smile widened as a long pointed finger extended towards the security display, the amused tone sneaking into her voice. Gabriel looked down at the monitor, the unmistakable shape of a cowboy hat just moving through the camera shot and towards the open garage doors. He nodded

Moira continued, obviously amused at the proceedings “Quite rude of them to simply barge in don’t you think? After all, I only remember inviting you. Presumably, they aren’t planning to stay the night?” Gabriel nodded. 

“Excellent” she continued, “The sooner we get this task done the sooner we can get Mr McCree well away from here and any potential disaster he might bring in his wake.”

\--

As Moira’s tall form led the way, crossing through the rooms and gardens and towards the garage, Gabriel could help but stare at the backpack in front of him. The liquid, grey and inert, swirled around inside its container, shifting up and down as those long legs propelled its wearer through the house. The sun was now down beyond the horizon, the small olive trees in the courtyard they walked through casting dark shadows across the pair of them, darkening down the biotic fluid into almost an ichor. Gabriel could almost feel himself disappearing into those shadows, his fatigues matching the darkness, a contrast to the coloured clothing of his partner. Only the winking light’s of Moira’s contraption illuminated him, the flashes of white shadowing his face. Stars guiding him on to his fate.

They stopped when Moira reached the small outbuilding. She precisely placed a hand on the panel next to the door and suddenly, it swung open. A rush of cool air greeted them as they stepped into the garage, the bare concrete floor and walls a far cry from the beauty of the rest of the house. A saloon car was parked to one side, the repulsor panels covered in soft black cloth but much more engaging was the scene in front of it.

A blue tarpaulin was already lying on the floor, the edges held down by some spare white paint cans the owner had left on the shelves. In the centre, a man was lying on his back, his hands bound and a black bag over his head. A cybernetic leg was present on his chest, holding him down. The figure standing over him looked up as they entered, his red eyes glowing behind the metal faceplate. The gaze paused when they landed on Reyes’s face before the ninja nodded his head in respect. Gabriel returned it, watching as Genji Shimada smoothly moved into position, kneeling down to hold the prisoner in place before pulling several knives from about his person and placing them close to hand.

Gabriel then shifted his gaze to the other occupant of the garage. He was carefully wrapping his arm in a bandage, his serape pushed back to reveal the raw wound, a mess of red, just peeking through his torn black sleeve. The rough beard was still speckled with dust from their trek over the mountains, the black stained into a pale grey. 

Moira looked down at him coldly. “I presume breaking into my property was your idea, Mr McCree?”

The cowboy shrugged “Nothing personal Doc, but you didn’t exactly lay out the welcome mat for us. And besides, it’s improper to interrupt a lady’s vacation so rudely.”

The eyebrow moved on Moira’s face again, a slight hint of amusement. “Once again, the existence of your manners shocks and concerns me.”

“Course it does.” McCree laughed and turned away, moving over to the corner of the room and began to start dragging the sturdy chair that sat there into a position where he could see what was going. Gabriel could notice his arm dragging slightly, the first sign of a stim shot wearing off. “Always glad to see you Red but let's hurry up so we can get out of here and I can let a real doc take a look at me. I’d rather not wake up to find I’d grown an extra arm or something thanks to your little box of experiments.”

Sniffing at his barbed words, Moira turned back to the person on the floor. Gabriel watched as she studied him for a moment, presumably taking note of the clothing style and build, trying to work out where Gabriel and his team had snatched him from. It was the same analytical eye she brought to everything. After a while, she looked up finally taking in the form kneeling on top of the poor soul. Solemnly, she spoke. “Mr Shimada.”

Genji’s voice when he answered sounded slightly strained, an after-effect of having been running flat out for the past 48 hours, the tone different from his usual passive sound. “Doctor. I presume the Commander has instructed what is required of you?”

Moira nodded “He has. This apparatus should keep our guest active while you do your work.”

One thing Gabriel had always spotted with Genji was just how still he could be. Those micromovements, the constant nods and shakes that people like Reinhardt would do didn't seem to exist on the ninja's frame. Those red eyes instead hovered for a moment, looking over Moira’s equipment, inspecting every tube and tank, every panel and blinking light. He responded after a pause, in the same flat tone. “Are you ready to begin?”

Gabriel couldn’t help but watch as Moira looked at the pipes coiling around her, the liquid inside moving sluggishly as it wrapped around her frame. “I’ll need a moment. This system requires a little extra charge on first use.” She walked towards where McCree was sat. Gabriel could see she was enjoying the look of confusion across the cowboy’s face as she stepped closer to Jesse, her grin widening. “I recommend you don’t tense up Mr McCree.” She said, raising her hand, the circular emitter starting to glow. “Just relax.”

A look of confusion suddenly crossed McCree’s bearded face, his hand stopping as he scratched his neck. “Now hold up, what do you mean re…” he just managed to blurt out before the garage was lit by a purple glow. Tendrils flowed from Moira’s right hand, the light almost blinding as it came from the emitter. Even Genji couldn’t help but watch with interest as they swirled around McCree's form. Before their eyes, the cowboy began to slump, falling back against the chair and curving against it. 

Struggling slightly, McCree attempted to sit up “God… damn… doc…” he managed to blurt out before falling back again. Moira’s outstretched hand, still glowing with light, gently reached forward and came to rest on his chest. With a smooth motion, she pushed him back into a seated position, his eyes being the only things moving under his own free will.

Moira smiled, a little bit of her amusement of the boisterous cowboy brought low by a single touch showing as she lightly tapped his collar. “Just borrowing a little of your _considerable_ energy Mr McCree” she purred as she turned away, sauntering back to the tarpaulin. “Don’t worry, I’ll return it. And I'll take a look at that hole in your arm while I'm at it.” Her voice was filled with a devilish glee although Gabriel could also hear the satisfaction in it, her eyes glancing down at again at her arm. The tubes around her thin limb were starting to change colour, the deep purple slowly shifting to a bright vibrant gold. The new glow filled the room, almost warming the room with its tone.

Moira turned to face him, the light casting shadows over her angular face. Her grin widened as she raised her eyebrow to him. “Now… shall we _properly_ begin?”

\--

Gabriel lay back on the soft bed covers, enjoying the feel of the soft covers beneath his fingers, the first light of dawn peering through the window and staining the white material in a shade of red. For a few moments, he closed his eyes, just enjoying the satisfaction that comes from a warm shower and a flat surface after a long mission. He sighed, the first few tendrils of sleep starting to pull at his mind. God, he was ready to sleep - that aching tiredness that cuts through to the bone, the feeling of a debt that could never be repaid.

But the events of the last few hours still played over his mind, his thoughts analysing every frame of it. The golden glow, the smooth way that Genji’s knife had flashed, carefully removing the augmentic eye before metallic fingers reached in to pry the prize from its hiding place. The sound of legs scrabbling for purchase on the plastic sheeting. And then... Gabriel couldn’t help but think how clever he had thought himself, snatching a Talon courier alive and right out from under their noses. But Talon was smarter than he had anticipated. They always seemed to be a step or two ahead.

He was pulled from his remembrances by the sound of the showering turning off, the pad of feet onto the tiled floor. After a moment, the bathroom door swung open and Gabriel turned his head to watch Moira appear. She was wearing a bathrobe, smartly tailored in black and grey fabric, walking carefully while running a thin hand through her still damp hair, styling it slightly back into its usual arrangement. Her eyes met his and she paused, rocking forward and then back on the balls of her feet.

“Are you comfortable there, Commander? Or just finding any place to sleep after a long night of highly illegal activities?” She came closer, walking slowly to the bed beside him, before leaning down and cupping his chin in her thin hand. Her face soon changed to one of concern, almost smoothing down the sharpness of her cheeks “I can not lie Gabriel, you do look exhausted. Perhaps you should rest. After all, you are now on a break of your own, are you not?”

Gabriel smiled up at her, placing his thick hand over her slender one. “Not after tonight’s drama, I don’t think Moira. Not after tonight…” he answered, some of the exhaustion beginning to show in him. “There will be questions, investigations. I can hide as much as I can, but I am not sure Angela will be able to stand up to any interrogation from Ana after Genji is spotted trying to get used to his new replacement parts.” He sighed again. “What a mess.”

Moira stroked his cheek again. “You don’t need to worry about that tonight,” She looked out the window, her eyes drinking in the rising sun. “Or should I say morning.” Carefully, she sat down beside him. “Rest for now - Morrison, Amari, Zeigler and Lacroix will all be there when you get back, ready to berate you as always.” Gracefully, she moved onto the bed and climbed over him, making him look up at her as her robe slowly began to open. And then with a smile, she settled in next to him, shrugging the rest of the fabric off her shoulders, letting the warm pale flesh of her cheek come to rest against his own darker olive.

For a moment, it was quiet. The two of them simply lying there enjoying the feeling of being together, the sound of two sets of breathing in a quiet room. For a few moments more, they could pretend that nothing had happened that evening, that they were just a normal couple, enjoying their time. But Gabriel couldn't do that, not for too long. Slowly, he turned to look down at the woman resting herself upon him, her much thinner figure looking almost skeletal compared to his much sturdier built. She felt so light whenever her pale hand rose with the breathing of his chest.

“We should talk about tonight, Moira.” Gabriel watched her closely “About what happened. What you were forced to do."

Moira said nothing, but Gabriel could feel her stop beside him. He could see her mind at work. "I did what had to be done to protect myself and my work." Her head turned slightly, her eyes meeting his, "And you of course."

"And you don't see any problems with what you did? No second thoughts?" Gabriel asked, his gaze focused on her. The red and blue starred back but he also noticed a slight raising of her eyebrow.

"Should there be?" She laughed "I don't care much for hindsight, especially when the path forward is obvious. The man you had so expertly captured was as good as dead anyway - my actions to defend myself and our associates simply… adjusted the timeline. Either way, he ended up deceased. At least now, I gained some more information for my work. Another step on the road to progress..." Moira leaned in closer, closing her eyes, slowly settling back against him.

Gabriel paused, his eyes turning to stare out of the window. The sun's rays peeking over the ocean cast a red flare over him. "Could you do it again?"

Without opening her eyes, Moira answered, a touch of sarcasm in her voice. "Unless you have a way of reconstructing broken-down cells that have been in the ocean for 6 hours, I think it will be incredibly difficult to kill that man all over again." Before he could answer her, she continued, now turning to look at him, eyes burning into him. "Besides you’re not asking if I _could_ do it again, you’re wondering if I _would_ be able to."

He turned to lay on his side, facing her. "Your equipment needs further testing. Blackwatch needs additional medical and research staff, especially as Talon continues to improve and develop." Slowly, Gabriel reached out, a hand lifting her chin. He could see her smile slightly at his touches, emboldening him. "I want to change your role, Moira. No more of this consultant bullshit, skulking in the shadows as an independent contractor. I want to bring you in house and prepare you for fieldwork, a fourth member of my core team. Science and research would still be your priority of course but field tests and deployments would be added to your responsibilities."

For a moment, she looked at him. "You realise I have no training in field operations, don't you? I am, after all, a disgraced research scientist, not a trained soldier."

Gabriel found himself quick to answer. “Jack is the one who wants trained soldiers. I want people whose skills augment the rest of the team’s. And as we saw tonight, medical training and the knowledge to use advanced and experimental technology would certainly help.” 

She paused before answering, a bitter smile crossing her face. "I would have thought Doctor Zeigler a far superior choice for your team - she gets on far better with the other two members of it than I do. Then again, she gets on with almost everyone in Overwatch. Almost."

He grunted, an annoyed sound that barely disguised his feelings. "Angela is a figurehead for Overwatch - I'm not sure anyone would be pleased with the idea of her doing the type of work we do. Besides," Gabriel looked down at Moira "She hasn't got the stomach to do what we do."

Another laugh came from Moira. "You should double-check your understanding of Dr Zeigler's stomach." She muttered under her breath before sitting up, pressing her thin back against the headboard. “I’ve seen what she can do when sufficiently motivated to it.” 

Carefully, Moira ran a hand through her hair, her mind starting to think things through, leaving a void of silence in the room that Gabriel dare not fill. Not yet. The idea of this had been crystalising in his mind, the possibilities of having someone in the field to support him. An equal within his squad, not a subordinate. McCree and Genji were both fine operatives, ideal at their roles, but he missed the dynamic he had shared with Ana and Jack. That feeling of understanding between the three of them. Moira showed it when they talked, when she walked him through concepts and treatments, when they lay in bed together like they did now. Part of him couldn’t help but remember the last woman he’d been like this with, the black tattoo under her eye and dark hair, the blue of her uniform as she settled it over their tired bodies wrapped up in sleeping bags. Gabriel glanced over at Moira still deep in thought. They even shared the same expression when they were considering things, the same careful placement of the hand, as if trying to prevent secrets from spilling out. 

Eventually, Moira spoke. "If I am to do this, and I’m not saying I will, there will need to be terms. I will still need to maintain access to my lab during any sort of training process, for your sake as well as to allow me to continue my work. I will need additional access as well, to fabricating systems and more… delicate sources of material." She hesitated. “I’d also like to also be able to contact Dr Ziegler through official channels. For all her self-inflicted limitations, she does have a knowledge of battlefield medicine that may be beneficial in expanding my skillset to suit this new role you have in mind for me.”

Gabriel chuckled, the calm pace of his chest rising and falling replaced with quaking with his laughter "She is going to love that. Anything else on this laundry list of requests?" He asked, expecting anything but what came out of the doctor’s lips next.

"A Valkyrie suit." Moira answered, the tone carefully.

All he could do was slowly repeat it. “A Valkyrie suit?” He asked, not quite believing

“Yes - after all, I will require my own armour if I am to go into battle. The colours will need to be changed”

“Do you wish to fly Doctor O’Deorain?” His amused tone accompanied by a raised eyebrow as Reyes resisted the joke of ‘I will catch you if you fall’ to avoid any further cheesy comments.

She sat up, moving over to straddle his laid back form, her hands coming to rest on the headboard behind them. She leaned in closer, her teeth showing through her grin. “Oh no Commander Reyes there is no need. I intend to take that suit, to break its wings and make it my own.” With one thin hand, she slowly rang a finger down his chest, only pausing to look back at him. “After all, my interests lay much, much closer to the ground.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Dilara_CC for proof-reading and not just going "wait, you didn't finish that?"
> 
> I'm back! Had a strange year, struggled with a few factors to get back on the writing train. But I really want to see this through, get this story finished.


End file.
